April, May & June Reads

Wow, I've missed three months of book posts!  So, here's what I've been reading the last three months...

So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore

You can click on this post to read how this book impacted my life.  

Every Woman's Marriage by Shannon Ethridge
Great book!  I highly recommend this book in addition to another one of hers I'm reading called Every Woman's Battle in which I will write about when I've completed it.  This is challenging and opening and really a book all women can relate to in marriage.  

What Happens When Women Say Yes To God by Lysa TerKeurst
I really enjoy Lysa's writing style and find they are refreshing and encouraging to read.  This book did challenge me to trust the Lord even when I can't see beyond the one step He's asking me to take.  

Skinny Italian by Teresa Giudice
Just a fun read on Italian food.

EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

Wow, I'd like to get an audio copy of this book.  So many things to digest.  If you are a leader in the business world, a must read!

Leadership 101 by John Maxwell

Simple and short book with powerful leadership lessons.  I picked this up at a garage sale because I learn so much from his books.  I will definitely keep for future reference.

Not A Fan by Kyle Idelman
This book is great for long time believers in Christ to take a good look at whether they are simply a fan or follower of Christ.  It's also good for first time believers to see what being a follower looks like.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan
Chan's writings are so popular yet I have a hard time gaining much insight from writings.  It's not that the content is lacking, I just don't care for his style of delivery which makes it hard for me to take away from his writings.  Could be that the Lord is just working on some other areas of my life and why I just didn't connect with the teachings of this book.

Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman
I love reading about how other mothers run their families which is why I chose to read this one.  The great part is that I do run our home much the same way a large family might run theirs.  However, I did take away some great ideas....children's hour each day, tea parties each week and Feast Night monthly.  I encourage any mom to pick up this easy read, resource book to have on her shelf for reference later on.  Also includes great tips on cleaning, maintaining your home, planning, routines, etc.

Insecurity

I just finished up the book So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore.  It was intense!  It took me nearly a month to get through it.  Thought I would share some things that I learned through this process.

Insecurity's best cover is perfectionism - Yikes...that's me!
Some factors of insecurity that I can relate to:
  Strong desire to make amends
  Dread the backlash of people more than God (in some situations)
  Having someone upset with me is very unsettling even if I was on the right side of the conflict
  Loss of favor and approval is excruciating to people with insecurity
  Obsessing when someone is angry with me
  Anxious for no reason
  Hurts my feelings when someone doesn't like me
The insecure person has unrealistic expectations about love and relationships (my husband can attest to this!)
If we let too much ride on a relationship, a blow out is inevitable
We're not jealous of people in whom we see nothing admirable.  In fact it is the fear that they have something we don't that makes us most insecure.
Most psychological explanations see the desire to be superior and in control as compensation for feelings of weakness, inferiority and low self-esteem.

I then proceeded to list all my insecurities...which there was quite freedom in doing!  Even reading back over that list today I can see areas where I've recognized my insecurity poking through.  Once I recognize it I can ask the Lord for deliverance in this area.  He's been so faithful to do that!  I feel so much stronger in some of these insecurities now than I did when I started the book a month ago.

Now, I'd love to have women join me in reading this again and discussing together.  So that together we can heal from our insecurities to be all the Lord has designed for us!  I'm sure I'll get even more reading it another round!

March Reads

I have to admit that I use to find it crazy that people would actually try reading multiple books at the same time.  Well, I've become one of those crazy people!  I get into a book and then get interested in another and switch back and forth.  I actually did a lot of reading in March but these are the only two books I finished and can write anything about.  I did have to send a few back to the library without finishing them which is something I rarely do.  I'll have a few more good ones to post for April that I'm in the process of completing.  

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow - I began reading this book in February on a prayer retreat.  I felt it gave me some things to really think/pray on about how anxious I can get in certain situations.  Definitely a book I would suggest to a friend who struggles with anxiety.   

In Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson - A MUST READ to children of elementary years.  My boys and I enjoyed this so much.  I was so excited to find that this is part of a series and there are more of them!  It is Christian based and full of so many character building examples.  I find it so hard to find good quality children's books so wanted to pass this recommendation along!    

February Reads

Here are books I read in February.  I have several others that I'm almost done with but will have to finish up and write in my March blog.

Cold Calling Techniques by Stephan Schiffman - very interesting read.  I enjoy reading any kind of book that will advance me in business.  Probably not really anything anyone else would find interesting unless cold calling is part of your daily life.  

Sales Don't Just Happen by Stephan Schiffman - Another interesting read by Schiffman for business owners. 

Angel in the Rubble: the Miraculous Rescue of 9/11's Last Survivor by Genelle Guzman-McMillan - what an incredible story!  

Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope by Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords - I remember bits and pieces of this story so it was interesting to read.  I did not read the book cover to cover because it was sooo detailed and jumped around all over the place.  One minute I was reading about the shooting and then left hanging to a flash back and on and on the style went.  I did find it interesting how people live their lives so differently.  These were two very determined people and quite a miracle she survived. 

What books did you read in February?  Would love more suggestions!  

January Books

Here's the reading I did in January!  A few of these I started in December but finished them this month.  It's not uncommon for me to be reading about 3 to 4 different books at once.  Since I love to read, I read during my morning quiet time (usually this will be a devotion type book that I read in addition to scripture reading), I also read during our afternoon quiet time and sometimes before bed in the evening.  And I've learned the art of speed reading which helps me get through books more quickly that are not super deep.

Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food by Lysa Terkeurst- I've seen a lot about this book because I'm a fan of the author but never really had a desire to read it.  I know the Lord had me read it at just the right time!  I think the entire book was written for me!  Even though it's about using food as a substitute for the Lord, I found I could relate with other areas of my life I put in place of the Lord.  If food addiction and weight loss are not part of your struggles (the journey of the author), you can still hear from the Lord in Lysa's struggles.  I related her food struggle to my need for approval from others and any other hang ups that keep me from being who the Lord created me to be.  This book was so very powerful for me.  Helped me to open my eyes to lies of the enemy.  I would definitely recommend to a friend. 

Longing by Karen Kingsbury - Even though I have been a fan of Karen's writings, this series is not my favorite. I have read nearly all her books I can get my hands on at the library.  I won't tell you my thoughts on this because I don't want to spoil the storyline!  This is part of a series.  If you've not read any of her books I would start at the VERY beginning with the Redemption series and move your way forward.


Never Check Email in the Morning by Julie Morgenstern - I found this quite helpful despite Amazon's mixed reviews.  Since it is my personal copy, I will refer to it quite often.  I find this a great resource for me because of my business and lifestyle.  I am always looking for ways to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.



Every Day A Friday by Joel Osteen - I passed this book up several times.  I had read a book of his several years ago but then realized there was a lot of controversy in his writings so I didn't care to read anymore.  However, I felt compelled to finally pick this up.  Even though I don't agree with everything about him and sometimes felt his writing to be quite arrogant, I did agree with a lot of he says in regards to how we view others.  The Lord did work on my heart while reading this book in areas such as viewing others positively and how I need to stop worrying about what others think about me.  I needed to hear these things (and I'm sure I'll need to hear them again!)



Unafraid by Francine Rivers - I personally would not want to be responsible for writing books such as this when you take scripture and add fiction to it.  I'm not sure how I feel about books like this because I don't want to be led astray.  However, what I did appreciate about this book is the realistic look at what Mary probably dealt with.  I found myself agreeing with the author's perception of Mary but have never thought about what Mary's journey was like.  I've never put Mary on a pedestal because the Lord chooses regular sinful men and women to do His work.  I found all the negative reviews of this book were due to people wanting to think Mary would have been perfect like Jesus.  I did enjoy reading this book for the new perspective.  

December Book List & Review

It's my goal to share what books I've read the month prior and what I gained from them.  I have all kinds in this list...I hope you find a book that you enjoy from this list!

Give Them Grace:Dazzling your Kids with the Love of Jesus
I have so many mixed feelings about this book.  It's hard for me to process my thoughts but I'll do my best.  I will say that I took some great pieces of wisdom from this book and threw out what I don't believe to be truth. I personally discerned some theology I did not agree with that I won't get into for this purpose but feel free to ask me about it if you'd like.  If you read this book, read with a trusted group of women you can gain insight from or even better yet, a mentor who already has grown children.  I sought out three other mentors to help me discern this book.  The concept of the book is great but the action/practical application is very lacking and was hard for me to understand how to implement realistically.  I believe we should remind our children of the sacrifice of Jesus' death but realistically to do it every time your child misbehaves would be too much to be effective.  Kids will start to turn a deaf ear.  I have at least observed something similar in another family.  Again, just a portion of my thoughts without going into too much depth for a blog review.  :)

Sacred Sex
This book took me a long time to get through.  It may have even taken a year!  It's an interesting read and some good info.  I especially liked the section on how we view our bodies and how our culture damages that view.  That really spoke to me.

Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry
This was a quick and easy leisure read for me.  I found it interesting and full of many things the Lord has revealed to me as a mom as well.  I am always hesitant to suggest a book when I don't know the spirituality of the author for fear of leading someone astray.  There were some new age references in this book so read with caution in those areas.  Most tips matched to my beliefs in the Lord so I found it an interesting read.

15 Minutes Outside: 365 ways to get out of the house and connect with your kids. 
LOVE this!  Hands down a great book.  It has inspired me to get outside more and really be intentional about it.  I'd love to eventually get outside each and every day.  However, reading this as winter rolls around kind of dampens my willingness to do this.  I was going to attempt it but realized I was setting myself up for failure.  I would love to begin this spring to get in the habit and hopefully carry it over into next winter.  I borrowed this book from the library but it is on my "to purchase" wish list.  Great, handy guide to have on your shelf.

That's My Son: How Moms can Influence Boys to Become Men of Character
I have also had this book on my shelf for several months, picking it up every now and then.  I finally finished it.  Since this is my personal copy I will keep it on my shelf for future reference.  I found it quite informational and great info.  My mothering instinct doesn't really know how to mother a boy.  I would do just fine with a girl but there's so much about boys and men I do not understand.  Recently I realized that I must begin to research it.  I would definitely recommend this book to a friend who has a son.

Unmeasured Strength.
What a story!  Not typically a book I would pick up and read but it caught my eye at the library and decided to read it.  It's about a woman who was in the twin towers who actually caught on fire on 9/11and survived.  It's a record of her very long and painful journey.  I was quite amazed at the strength this woman had, especially since I did not find that she had a personal relationship with the Lord.  The book was all about her and her desire to be healed.  I had a lot of questions....how would her story have been different had she known the Lord in a personal way?  How far do we push ourselves and then let Christ take over?  Do I sometimes give up too easily thinking the Lord will help me if He desires?  Definitely an interesting read.

Picture Book Activities
MUST HAVE for moms who want a little structure for their preschoolers.  I love this resource.  I had to send it back to the library so I bought a copy on ebay for myself.  It looks as though it's no longer in print so you have to buy it used.  I found ebay to be the cheapest option.  I'm excited to use this for Kaleb's curriculum the rest of the year.  We'll have a lot of fun doing different activities on some great picture books!

There were some other books I browsed through from the library but didn't catch my eye enough to write about.

I'd love to hear what books you read in December.  I have an ongoing list that I keep.  I get suggestions from friends, I look in the Christian Bookstore catalog and online blogs I read.  I love that I can get most anything from our library system and it costs nothing to borrow from another library in the same system.  It has allowed me to read much more than my budget would allow in purchases. I also saw a blogger I follow who made a pinterest category of books she read in 2011.  So, I'm going to do this for 2012 so I can look back at all I read for the year.