Books And Thoughts On Books | By Quiet Waters

Reading in March 2017

April 4, 2017 By Michelle

Over the past few months I’ve been spending most of my “fringe hours” at my sewing table, working on quilts and other sewing projects. Reading this month has taken place, largely, at the sewing table. With audiobooks.

This month I listened to The Kitchen House while working on my youngest daughter’s new sunrise/sunset quilt. I am not sure whether it was the desire to get the quilt done, or how much the story drew me in, but I spent way more than my “fringe hours” in my sewing room this month! The Kitchen House drew me in and is still on my mind. What an powerful, heartbreaking story. This book is entered as a book with a reputation for being un-put-down-able on my “Reading for Fun” list for the MMD 2017 Reading Challenge.

Another book that will stick with me for awhile is His Word in My Heart by Janet Pope. When we stopped homeschooling, Scripture memory fell off to the side. It had been a regular part of our homeschool journey. New school schedules changed our daily routines and I have struggled to find a place for that discipline. Now, even though I struggle with doing things alone after so many “together” years, I have jumped back in. If you need encouragement as to why memorize and how to memorize, I encourage you to read this book. His Word in My Heart is just that, an encouragement!

The War that Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is an YA book that I heard about on the What Should I Read Next podcast by Anne Bogel, The Modern Mrs Darcy.

I could not put this book down. At times I have thought a little about the evacuation of British children during World War 2, but not to the extent that this book has me thinking. Can you imagine sending all the children of your city, including your own, to live with people you don’t know who live in the countryside? Of course I start thinking about all the things that could go wrong, will they treat my children kindly, will the children be safe? But this story has a tremendous twist. I won’t share any spoiler here, but just think about the title.

Another thought on my mind from this book is this; people at that time just might have been stronger and tougher than we are now. They sure faced a terrible threat, made hard, yet proved wise decisions and took on the fight. Such self sacrifice and courage.

So that is what I finished reading this month. On our vacation to the Pacific Northwest we listened to about 12 hours of the Count of Monte Cristo. I am continuing to read Full by Asheritah Ciuciu and Crazy Love by Francis Chan. And after a trip to Powells Bookstore in Portland, I have a pretty stack of books to read my way through this spring.

What did you read in March?

Food, Jesus and the Battle for Satisfaction

April 3, 2017 By Michelle

Full: Food, Jesus and the Battle for Satisfaction, by Asheritah Ciuciu.

Asheritah Ciuciu has a blog, One Thing Alone, that I have read for a year or two. She is a younger woman who is committed to encouraging other women in their relationship with Jesus. If you are looking for encouragement in your Christian walk, check out Asheritah’s blog. You just might find a nugget or two that will encourage you and help you press on.

Asheritah has a new book, Full: Food, Jesus and the Battle for the Satisfaction. This is a wonderful encouraging book on a topic so many of us struggle with. In our crazy abundance, so often food looses it rightful place in our life, and we find ourselves struggling. We are made to crave but that craving is meant to be for God. But so often we find many other things, food, shopping, relationships, etc. to satisfy those desires for identity and intimacy. Only the One who made us to crave is the One who will satisfy those longings.

The forward to the book is written by Linda Dillow, which should be an encouragement to many women that this book carries a trustworthy message. The book is presented in four parts, and a bonus section. In each chapter one will find the content and also questions to aid in digestion of the meat of the matter. There are also web addresses for bonus online content (which I did not use…going online would have hijacked my reading time!)

Ashertiah speaks with a gentle, yet firm, and so very encouraging voice. The book is like a series of get togethers over coffee, for prayer, teaching and strengthening.

If you have ever struggled with foods rightful place in your life, to be enjoyed, to be nourished by and not controlled, then think about reading this book. I think you will be encouraged.

Also, I just found out, there is a companion journal, The Full Life: A companion journal for Full: Food, Jesus and the Battle for Satisfaction that you can use as you read the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody Publishers Blogger Review Program.

Newest Favorite Children’s Books

April 2, 2017 By Michelle

Over the many years of parenting, I have found many favorite children’s books. Now as a grandmother, I have the privilege of helping my daughter in raising another young reader. And in exchange, I am being introduced to many new books and authors! This month I want to share with you two of my newest favorite children’s books.

When God Made You is written by Matthew Paul Turner (husband of Jessica N Turner), and is illustrated by David Catrow. When God Made You is more than gorgeous. I truly can’t get over the colorful illustrations. As amazing as the words in this book are, it is the illustrations that capture my grand daughter’s attention every time we read the book together.

The illustrations are full of abundant, brilliant, wild color, with a little girl character who so closely resembles a little one I love so much. The words of this book are a prayer, or a blessing, to speak over our precious little ones. Words to settle in the deeper places of young hearts, to settle on the soil, take root and grow stems and branches of fruit as the child grows in understanding. I’ve purchased several more copies of this book, and I imagine it will be the baby gift I give, over and over again.

Another favorite is one that I was recently sent for review; Thank you, God for Grandpa by Amy Parker.

I have enjoyed many other books by Amy Parker, and this one is just as fun. The illustrations are cheerful and full in color, and the words are sweet. Papa and Miss Joyness have had a great time reading the book together. “Thank You, God, for Grandpas,For Pops and Papas too,For Granddads, Gramps, and Grandpappies— They’re great, grand gifts from You!” Yes, Miss Joyness calls her grandpa Papa, and I love how the book covered many of the names grandfathers go by.

Daddies and Grandfathers are invaluable and precious members of each family and it warms my heart that they are celebrated in this book.

Thank you, God for Grandpa by Amy Parker was provided to me for free by Book Look Bloggers, in exchange for my thoughts on the book. When God Made You was purchased by me, over and over again. There are affiliate links in this post, so I may receive a small compensation from Amazon if you make a purchase through these links. That will help me continue to add good books to our reading stack!

Reading in February, 2017

March 5, 2017 By Michelle

February passed so quickly, it always does. Two of my daughters have birthdays in this month, one at the beginning and another at the end. I think that is a fantastic was for months to begin and end. Some of our kids are prolific readers, and others not so much. That is the case in the February birthdays. So for one of these celebrations, enough books to nearly fill a shelf were gifted. Her to be read pile is very tall right now.

One to what I read this month. Again, audiobooks were how I took in the most “pages.

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown. This book is in my top 5 most influencial books list. As a woman who grew up with shame and then passed shame onto my own children, I am excited to have more information and encouragement to continue to learn to live differently. This was an audiobook narrated by Karen White.

Project Mnemosyne (When No One was Looking Book 1) by Kim Frauli. (Book dying to read, MMD Read for Fun) This is a book I was sent for review. Can I say, I loved this book for the masterful use of suspense while remaining family friendly.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, narrated by the author. (Newbery Award winner MMD Read for Growth)Another audiobook. This one, I feel priviledged to have had the opportunity to read this book. During this time of so much unrest, and division in our country, cities and communities, it is very important to seek to understand others.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, read by Rachel McAdams. An old favorite. (Set somewhere I’ve never been, but would love to MMD Read for Fun)

The Essence of Courage by Lynn U Watson. (A genre I typically avoid, MMD Read for Growth) An interesting journey with women of the Bible, essential oils and a community of women who are learning through them.

Birthbond: Reunions Between Birthparents and Adoptees– by Judith S Gedimen. For anyone involved in post adoption reunions, this book offers a wealth of information. Just remember that each journey is unique and cant be defined by anyone else’s journey.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan, read by the author. (3 books by same author, MMD Read for Growth) I am reading and re reading the books by Francis Chan this winter, finding them once again full of Biblical encouragement.

The Gentle Art of Discipling Women: Nurturing Authentic Faith in Ourselves and Others by Dana Yeakley. This book helped me fill in blanks in my spiritual journey, and gave me the push I needed to get into a mentoring relationship with another woman in our congregation. Game changing.

Overall I completed 4 audiobooks, 2 paper and ink books and 2 books on my Kindle.

As March begins I am reading The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, What Really Happened in the Garden?: The Reality and Ramifications of the Creation and Fall of Man, His Word in my Heart by Janet Pope, and Full: Food, Jesus, and the Battle for Satisfaction by Asheritah Ciuciu.

What are you reading these days? Do you have any book suggestions for me?

Your Magnificent Chooser

February 14, 2017 By Michelle

Your Magnificent Chooser

Your Magnificent Chooser, by John Ortberg, a Tyndale Kids Title.

This book is a precious, delightful story introducing children to the concept of choosing, and also to feeling and thinking. The concept of choosing is linked directly to the WILL, which even the smallest child has!

“God gave you two eyes, two ears, and one nose, ten wiggly fingers and ten useful toes. But of all of those parts, the big and the small, your chooser just might be the best part of all.” And so the story begins. It is a tremendous job, to share the will of a child and train them to choose, and to choose wisely, of all the abundant relational, material, temporal opportunities in life. The choices we make in life are limitless!

“Will you wake with a smile or start with a frown?” The Chooser, the will, wields a lot of power, yet each one of us must train ourselves, and practice choosing right. This wonderful story, with cheerful and gentle illustrations is a fantastic and enjoyable book to have on the shelf, for the choosing. And I am choosing to do just that!

I received this complimentary book from the Tyndale Blog Network, in exchange for the thoughts and opinions shared here.

Go and Make Disciples

February 13, 2017 By Michelle

Most Christians have heard those last few verses of Matthew,

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

But I have been wondering, how many of us know how to make disciples. Over the years I have seen and heard many demonstrations on sharing the Gospel, but the idea of making disciples has been a vague one. Jesus spent three years with His disciples, teaching them in their small group, and also while teaching the masses. But I’ve often wondered what did He specifically teach them and how were they prepared to go out and do all that they did, taking the Gospel throughout Israel and the world.

It’s been a roadblock to me, until now. The Gentle Art of Discipling Women by Dana Yeakley is the first book I finished reading this month (February 2017). I’ve been working through the book for a couple of months, as I found that I wanted to dig deep with this one. The subtitle summed up what I’ve been missing in my own life…nurturing authentic faith in myself and others.

Recently I was with a small group, and we were asked if any of us have ever been “discipled,” taken systematically through Scripture in a small group or one to one. It was a thought provoking question and most of us answered NO! Besides solid Biblical teaching from the pulpit most of us have not been taught the systematic basics of new life in Christ, and further, in a one to one or small group. And most of us were unsure on just how to “make disciples.” Yet discipleship is a responsibility of every Christ follower.

This book, The Gentle Art of Discipling Women is a strong introduction to what discipleship looks like, and how to do it. As is the case so often, I found in the first half of the book, Be a Disciple, that I needed to grow and find the bridge between discipled and ready to disciple. According to the book, there are four key building blocks to being well grounded and ready to minister to other women. It was good to take the time to go through each, to look for gaps in my understanding and to also formulate questions for further study.

We are Forgiven – Christ died for sins, once and for all. Once we have accepted this gift of grace, it is done. We are forgiven.

We are Safe – Through faith you are kept safe by God’s power. In Him our future is secure, and day to day we can trust Him.

We have Access – It is through Him that we both (whether far off or near) now have access by one Spirit to the Father so that we are able to approach Him.

We are Becoming – Christ has begun a good work in us, and will continue that work in us until we see Him in glory.

Each of these topics, or keys are explored deeply with characters in Scripture and thought provoking questions, while keeping things simple.

The second half of the book, Make a Disciple, covered everything from the how to the what in making disciples. It is my plan to pair what I’ve learned with this book with meeting an older woman from our congregation to further prepare in this most important endeavor.

It’s pretty early in the year to say this, but this might have been the most important book I read this year. It’s life changing for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Tyndale Blog Network, in exchange for my review. All thoughts expressed in this post are mine.