Tag: books (Page 2 of 3)

Soul Food Brimming with Blessing

February 25, 2016 /

Every Friday I try to post some of the things that have delighted or inspired me – the “soul food” from my week.

The Message translation from Psalm 23 says, “My cup brims with blessing”. That’s the way I feel! So much goodness to share today – enjoy!

If this doesn’t warm your heart nothing will…

I know this is old, but I just saw it for the first time this week and thought it was absolutely hysterical!  This is particularly for my friends in Texas!

Favorite Instagram post this week! 

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The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun has been a favorite of mine since it was published in 2009. Recently she came out with a new edition which I am savoring! Although many might view this as a resource book, I see it as much more.

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Adele has catalogued a list of 75 different spiritual practices (13 new ones in this expanded edition) under 7 different headings. For each discipline there are reflection questions and spiritual exercises, so this would be a great book to use as a devotional, or with a small group.

Some of the new practices Adele has added include Unplugging, Visio Divina, Solidarity in Jesus’ sufferings, Waiting, and my favorite – Mindfulness/Attentiveness. I highly recommend this book!

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An inspiring video. Take a minute to watch this with awe at God’s creativity and power. 

A delightful book I read this week:  A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman I hope this book is made into a movie. I almost put it down because the main character is so unlikeable for the first third, but gradually we learn more of his story in flashbacks and his community doesn’t give up on him. It is an amazing story of grace and understanding, and the ending? Oh, just wait for it!

One reviewer wrote, “If there was an award for ‘Most Charming Book of the Year,’ this first novel by a Swedish blogger-turned-overnight-sensation would win hands down”.

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What has delighted or inspired YOU this week?

Soul Food When You’re Stuck Indoors

January 28, 2016 /

This is the time of year when the weather just starts getting…well, old. Gray seems grayer and soot seems sootier.

January 29th is about the date when it’s crucial to recount all the things we’re thankful for:  Downton Abbey, a warm fire, the beauty of a fresh coat of snow, and the fact that it can’t last forever.

We “do” winter here in Minnesota, but this month I’ve been stuck inside healing from some minor knee surgery instead of cross-country skiing, so this weekend I’m focusing on resources that have delighted or inspired me that can be done indoors. I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments! Continue reading

Soul Food

August 20, 2015 /

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I know, I know…I’ve been really off and unpredictable with posting lately. Sorry about that, but well, August. We all need a break, right? But I’m pulling it together and will do better. I’m excited to dive back in, so you’ll hear from me, but  I’d love to hear from you too!

One of my deepest desires for this space is that it would delight and refresh your soul. I want there to be laughter and fun and creativity mixed in with some of the more intense stuff of life. I’ve been trying to think of a name for posts where I share resources, and so far I’ve landed on “Soul food”.  If you have other ideas, let me know!

How about starting with a great song to remind you of your identity? Continue reading

Summer Reading and Resources in a Hard Season

July 10, 2015 /

 

IMG_0431As most of you know, this summer has been an emotional roller coaster for our family as my little brother battles cancer. Honestly, I’ve had all the crazy irrational thoughts like…

“If I don’t think about David in pain, it’s not really happening.”

“If I don’t go see him he’ll continue to live.”

I’ve had some precious time with David, and am so grateful for faith-filled family and friends who have leaned in with us. I’ve prayed and prayed til I think if God was lesser He’d tell me to get lost and stop bugging Him. But He doesn’t.

Tuesday David was moved to home hospice.

Bottom line is that I’ve craved a mixture of meaningful and soul-strengthening stuff to read, but most are escapist, with themes of redemption and happy endings.  As I mentioned before, I get a lot of book suggestions from my friend Joanne’s reading blog.

The first isn’t a book, but a great new app I found called Abide. It has guided prayer for many different situations. You’ll quickly find some voices you like better than others (somehow, the men bug me, but I love the women). It’s been a lovely, quiet guide.

Also, most nights John and I watch an episode of the West Wing. This is nothing new, but if someone in our family hasn’t gotten you hooked on this inspiring show, you haven’t talked to us in the past 8 years. Watch the episode, Shibboleth from Season 2 anytime you’ve had a rough day. Here’s a clip.

Then there are some lovely (and fun) books I’ve been reading also…

Joy in the Journey: Finding Abundance in the Shadow of Death

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Last year we walked alongside our friends, Steve and Sharol Hayner from a distance as Steve battled pancreatic cancer. In February he went from life to Life. Perhaps it was God preparing us for this season with my brother. We “walked” this with Steve and Sharol through their Caring Bridge posts. Because those posts ministered to so many, IVP has created a book from that content. I re-read it yesterday and it was a gift all over again.

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The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan – Such a guilty pleasure! American twin, Rebecca Porter goes to study for a semester at Oxford and ends up falling in love with the future king. Although it depicts a debauched lifestyle, there aren’t lurid details and it’s a really engaging read.

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Water From My Heart – Classic Charles Martin, one of my favorite authors. This is the story of Charlie Finn, a former drug dealer whose devastating life choices lead him to Nicaragua where he finds redemption through a relationship with an old man, a young woman, and her daughter.

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The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain “He was about to commit a forbidden act. A transgression. For a man should never go through a woman’s handbag.”  This is the story of a bookseller in Paris who finds a woman’s abandoned purse. When he empties it, there is no phone or contact information, but there is a red notebook with some clues as to who the owner is, which he begins to follow. Meanwhile, the owner, who has been robbed of her bag, lies in a coma. This is a quick, clever, delightful read.

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Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kruger. I loved this book! A beautifully written, compelling coming-of-age story of mystery, tragedy, love and redemption set in a rural Minnesota town in 1961. You can read Joanne’s full review here.

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Your turn! What are you reading that you’d recommend?

 

 

What I’ve Been Reading

April 17, 2015 /

A couple weeks ago I posted on Facebook that I had been reading too many serious non-fiction books and I needed some lighter fiction to read on vacation.  People weighed in with some great suggestions and although I am a slooow reader I took them up on several and thought I’d report back.  So here’s some fiction and a couple of terrific non-fiction books you might want to check out. Continue reading

What I’ve Been Reading

February 27, 2015 /

I had quite a list of books that I wanted for Christmas.  And I received a bunch, including two copies of the same book, both from my husband (He blames it on the fact that he didn’t save all his shopping til Christmas Eve like is his usual custom, so he forgot what he had bought. And wrapped, apparently)

Anyway, I’ve been enjoying making my way through this stack and I thought I’d share some with you.

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Continue reading

On How I was Afraid of Being Labeled a Feminist

October 1, 2014 /

Here’s the pile of “serious” books I’ve been working my way through lately.photo-171Honestly, the fiction (not pictured) – Charles Martin’s new book A Life Intercepted, and Jan Karon’s new book, Somewhere Safe, with Somebody Good  have been more fun (I am so totally savoring being back in “Mitford”!), but a girl’s gotta go for a little substance too.  Thus the pile.

Confession: I picked up Sarah Bessey’s Jesus Feminist only because I felt I had to.  She was coming to speak at our church, and the women I walk alongside mostly (twenty-somethings) seemed to feel like she was speaking their language and saying something important.

I started reading with a bad attitude for three reasons: Continue reading

Life-giving Links and Likes

June 13, 2014 /

Happy One Word Friday!  I think some of the ways we “Choose Life” (my two words) are by choosing truth, choosing grace, and choosing to delight in the gifts of God.  I thought I’d share some of those gifts that have been delighting me lately.  What about you?  Share what’s delighted you lately in the comments! Continue reading

What I’m Not Reading

April 14, 2014 /

I’m home.  Home to my little house in my “Mayberry” neighborhood and my community filled with people who cheer and frustrate, and are broken and in the process of being put back together just like me.

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The past two months have been rich and stimulating and very, very full.  Full of new relationships and places and ideas, and stories and prayers and intense conversations.  It’s been wonderful and overwhelming at the same time.  And not the norm.

I love variety and travel and learning new things.  It’s a blessing.  But I need to get back to living my real life.

So…this is the pile of books I’m not reading.

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Don’t get me wrong.  They look really good and I’m excited about digging into them, but here’s where I’ve felt a pinch in the butt by the Holy Spirit.

I’m getting fat.

It’s crazy wonderful to be exposed to stimulating relationships and new information and great books, but the danger is we become obese – filled up with all of the deliciousness and getting no exercise.  Processing and applying nothing.  A holy hoarder if you will.

I think…”Oh that’s such a great IDEA!!  I should tell someone and they should DO it!”

“I will think more about _______________(insert anything I hear that I’m convicted or excited about) and how real that can be real in my life…someday.”

“I’m gonna Tweet that quote!”

We consume more, tweet more, Instagram more than we live into.

These days I need to do more living into.

I have a friend who used to say, “Start reading Jesus’ words in the New Testament and when you get to a command, stop, and don’t read further until you do it.”

And then there’s Jen Hatmaker who writes, “At some point, the church stopped living the Bible and decided just to study it, culling the feast parts and whitewashing the fast parts.  We are addicted to the buffet, skillfully discarding the costly discipleship required after consuming.”

I’ll get around to reading these books and be glad I did, but not today.

Today I need to write a note of encouragement, take a walk and pray present, do laundry, and forgive that person who dinged me.  I need to create stuff and breathe deep and serve others in my real-life community.

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For you the challenge may be the opposite.  Maybe you need to stop doing and be still.  Or maybe you’re starving for more sustenance and need to fill up with inspiration from God’s Word and information about the needs in His world.

What are you living into today?

Two Memoirs

November 15, 2013 /

We got home from two weeks in Africa yesterday afternoon and are trying to stay awake and get back into a work-day rhythm.  John and I keep looking at each other and saying “What time is it?  What day is it?”  The good news is that with about 159 hours of flight time, there was lots of opportunity to get books read (even for a slug-slow reader like me).

Among the titles I tackled were two fantastic memoirs I’d highly recommend!  When we Were on Fire by Addie Zierman, and Table in the Darkness by Lee Wolfe Blum. Continue reading

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