July reads

This was a great month for kid books! Adult books, not so much. I spent a lot of time on/procrastinating my book club's read this month (Life, and Death, and Giants) which I ultimately did not finish and was a bit uncomfortable with. There were mixed feelings. Two women loved it, one didn't finish it either and doesn't plan to, and two did finish it but didn't necessarily enjoy the process. I'm super excited for our next read!

GROWN-UP READS:

📖 Bible study: 2 Peter // Ephesians using Worthy // Slowly studying Ezekiel with my husband 

📖 The Girl From Tomorrow's Town* (Christian, historical fiction)... I still have yet to meet a circus book I didn't enjoy. This one got a full review here.  

📖 Your Life Signature* (Christian, nonfiction)... What a book! This book made me think and reflect so much, which I always love. The author uses a lot of imagery and illustration to express his points so it was really jam-packed with gold that led me down some wonderful paths, my favorite being the story of Sir Nicholas Winton in the beginning or middle of the book. I have thought a lot about my purpose for years and this book only made me that much more excited to see what else God has planned for me and my one little life. 

YA & MIDDLE GRADE READS 

📖 Falling Out of Time (secular, fiction)... Another Margaret Peterson Haddix- this one is a sequel to Running Out of Time I never knew existed! I enjoyed it and then my oldest did, too.

📖 Game Changers (secular, middle grade, fiction)... Truthfully, I didn't like it. I'm not into sports books. There was a bit of rudeness but not too bad and I do think kids who like sports books will probably like it.
📖 Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls* (Christian, middle grade, nonfiction)... I enjoyed this kind of art book-devotional combo and put up a full review here. 

 📖 Island Dreamer (Christian, YA, fiction)... This is the 5th book in the Christy Miller series and I still find them compulsively readable. I do think I would have loved it as a teenager.

📖 The Legend of Bluebell Forest (secular, middle grade, fiction, TGTB)... This was the free book from the TGTB summer reading program. I liked it and think my daughter will like it, but we'll see if she wants the second!
📖 The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, time slip)... I really enjoyed this ancient China / 1930s Chinatown time slip! I can't wait for a few of my kids to read this one.
📖 Nory Ryan's Song (secular, middle grade, fiction, TGTB Book List)... This is a historical fiction about the Irish potato famine, a subject I've only encountered in fiction one other time. I found it interesting, though it wasn't a new favorite or anything, and I'll be curious to see what my oldest thinks if/when he picks it up!
📖 Raising Dragons (Christian, YA, fantasy, fiction)... I mean, fantasy is not for me so I kind of hated it but I get the appeal and can see that my oldest will love it. There was a bully teasing a girl and implying that she isn't a virgin, and later that girl implies that she was abused in a specific way by her father. Both issues are one single line and are implied, not said. I decided I'm okay with it for 8th grade but I do wish those things weren't in there. 

📖 Resist (secular, middle grade, historical fiction)... This was a short but good WWII resistance story and I'll definitely try more Alan Gratz books.
📖 The Story of Simone Biles (secular, chapter book, nonfiction, TGTB book list)... I liked Simone Biles' memoir and I enjoyed this version for the younger crowd.
📖 A Summer Secret (Christian, upper middle grade / YA, Amish fiction)... This was a good 8th grader-ish story. I thought it would be more of a mystery but the mystery is solved pretty quickly and then it becomes more of a social dilemma. I liked it and will definitely try book 2.  

📚 PICTURE BOOKS WE LOVED: God Bless You and Goodnight (not new, but this is the current favorite bedtime book) // The Heart Who Needed a Friend (full review here) // Play With Me (this month's Imagination Library gift) // Thank You Bear 

* I received a free copy of The Girl From Tomorrow's Town, Your Life Signature, and Hand Lettering God's Word for Girls in exchange for an honest review. 

6 New Releases

Art of the Margins (Christian, nonfiction)... This one is for you, creatives! This made me think about the creative delights God has placed in my heart and just where they fit into my God-given purpose here on Earth. 

Jerusalem Calls (Christian, nonfiction)... This has been a lovely addition to my morning time stack. I expected a more dry, academic approach to the Jewish feasts but have been pleasantly surprised by the author's warm and tender recalling of her own Jewish heritage and childhood celebrations & her conversion to Christianity. This is a great resource for anyone attempting to understand more orthodox traditions. 

The Jesus Centered Planner (Christian, planner)... struggle every year to find a good planner. The best I've ever found is now making only one version, one that is literally curse word themed. I'm so happy to try this alternative in 2027! The weekly spreads are column-style, my personal preference so I can lay out my daily routine in order. I also appreciate that the weekend days are the same size as week days. My Saturday is always just as busy as my Monday, but when I was working I needed those weekend slots more than I did weekday slots! I also appreciate the gratitude and reflection spots each week. 

Loved by God (Christian, picture book)... I just adore this delightful picture book! It has a good, important message and so many illustrations I love. I can tell this will be a favorite in my house for years to come. It'll also make for a wonderful baby shower gift for a friend. 

Man of God (Christian, nonfiction)... I am obviously not the target demographic for this book but I have a husband and a teenage son I thought might enjoy it. A favorite quote, from the introduction- "biblical manhood is not defined by culture, power, or personality. It is defined by obedience. A godly man leads not by control but by example, because he himself is being led by Christ." Along with a lot of great messages the book is also visually appealing with lovely tree art on the chapter headings. 

Tales of Buttercup Grove (Christian, early reader/ chapter book, fiction)... I love this little book! This early reader book was so cute! I loved both the sweet animal illustrations and the sweet kindness/ friendship stories. There are four seasonal stories (which reminded me of Brambly Hedge!) and they each begin with a Bible verse. 

* I received a free copy of each of these books in exchange for an honest review. 

4 New Releases

Blades of Eternity #2: The Curse of the Black Saber* (Christian, middle grade, fantasy, fiction)... This second book was just as engaging as the first. I'm truly not a fantasy fan I'm the slightest but most of my children are so here I am! There is some really great imagery on this one but of course parents should be aware of standard fantasy battles (good vs evil) as with most fantasy. I like this series more for the upper middle grade-middle school group. This series is a new smash hit for my oldest and we'll eagerly await book 3. 

The Heart Who Needed a Friend* (Christian, fiction, picture book)... This was a cute little wintertime picture book focused on friendship from a Biblical perspective. I thought it was sweet and I know it'll be a fun read for a lot of families!

 

Worthy* (Christian, nonfiction, Bible study material)... This is a Bible study commentary on Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. It's exactly what I want in a Bible study! I want to understand the Bible, not just hear about how this relates to your sister's husband's cousin. Right at the beginning of each section is a Bible Background Check to help me understand genre, key verses, author, audience, historical context, and cross-referencing. I have been loving this and will absolutely be saving it forever for my family and I to reference down the road.

Your Life Signature* (Christian, nonfiction)... What a book! This book made me think and reflect so much, which I always love. The author uses a lot of imagery and illustration to express his points so it was really jam-packed with gold that led me down some wonderful paths, my favorite being the story of Sir Nicholas Winton in the beginning or middle of the book. I have thought a lot about my purpose for years and this book only made me that much more excited to see what else God has planned for me and my one little life.

* I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Love Like a Mother

I've been reading a new nonfiction in the mornings recently, Love Like a Mother: How the Sacred Work of Motherhood Reveals the Maternal Heart of God. Right off the bat, I very much appreciated the short snippet sections that made it easy for me, as a mom, to read in the short bits of time I had available and then pick it back up at a convenient time.

This is not my first time encountering writing that shows the way God mothers us and highlights the way we mother as a result of being made in His image. I strive to be more like Jesus in my life here as a human, wife, and mother so this makes sense in a lot of ways.

However. I did grow up in a conservative Baptist church and occasionally bristled so I'm sure some of you will, too. I agree with the reality that God is a spirit rather than a y-chromosomed human male... but I guess my mind is like, "Right, exactly! A y-chromosomed SPIRIT male!" She does choose to use the he pronoun for God and only to show mothering traits, not to call Him "the divine earth mother' or something, too.

This was my first time encountering this author and I thoroughly enjoyed her lovely writing style. She paints some gorgeous word pictures! I immediately found her Coffee + Crumbs essays, too. I felt touched and moved by her imagery many times. I love motherhood and I appreciate her love for it, too.

I'll be very curious to hear your thoughts if any of you try this one.

* I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Three new books for parents

I have been given the opportunity to read and review some really great new books this month. I want to speak specifically to parents and other adults in child-supporting roles today, about a nonfiction for you and some picture books for the children you love.

Daddy, How Much Do You Love Me?... This sweet picture book, written by the president of Awana, is such a sweet look at the love of a father and the even greater love of our heavenly father. I found it very touching and enjoyed thr illustrations, too. This will make for a perfect Father's day read. 

-Every Heart... This rhyming picture book, a good follow-up to Every Neighbor, has such a lovely message. The takeaway is that God has put a unique heart into each of us and we all have a purpose, our own beautiful gifts to share. I look forward to reading this one to my youngest again and again 🥰 

This on releases August 4th. 

Raising Gen Alpha... This was such a fantastic read! I am Raising FOUR gen alphas and I think all the time about this very strange world that's become so foreign to me, about how to prepare them for things I don't even understand yet. This was a very helpful and very inspiring book I've been talking about and recommending to so many of the moms I know and love!

* I received a free copy of each of these books in exchange for an honest review. 

5 Fascinating New Releases for February

I was given five new releases from David C Cook this month and I'm pretty excited about them! If you check these out I'd love to know what you think! 

📖 Even If (Christian, nonfiction, memoir)... I enjoyed I Can Only Imagine but I liked Even If even more, probably because of the family element. As a wife, I also really appreciated Shannon's perspective. I will definitely watch the upcoming movie! 

📖  Every Neighbor: Greeting Everyone With God's Love (Christian, picture book, nonfiction)... This picture book is a fun look at God's children all over the globe (learning to say hello in various languages was of course fun) that combines world culture with a gentle reminder of the call to love our neighbor. We'll re-read this one often, I'm sure! 

📖 Fake ID (Christian, nonfiction)... I've been thinking A LOT over the past few months about technology, especially AI, both as a parent and as a person, and specifically as a Christian. I still have a lot of questions and unknowns but this book came to me at just the right time and has me thinking so much. You should know that gender dysphoria is discussed in the beginning so be aware of that if you'replanningto hand it to your teens. 

📖  The Heart Who Wanted to Lasso Thoughts (Christian, picture book, fiction)... This was a cute picture book to illustrate the concept of monitoring our thought life. It's not my favorite style but it's a good message we'll probably revisit often over the years. 

📖 A Journey With Jesus (Christian, nonfiction)... Okay if you've ever wondered about those tours of Biblical places but also had no desire to travel overseas, this one is for you. Bob Goff created a really cool, immersion experience with this one as it also includes videos. I did enjoy quickly working through it on my own for this review but I'm so excited to do this one with my husband and really discuss and dissect it all together! 

* I received a free copy of each of these books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Good Books by Christian Musicians

I went through a phase in college where I almost exclusively read chick lit with bright pink covers and biographies/memoirs of musicians. I have been enjoying the occasional musician biography/memoir again, this time with a focus on Christian musicians. I imagine this list will just grow and grow. 

🎶 Adorning the Dark... Andrew Peterson talks alot here about creativity in general and I learned a lot about albums from this one. 

🎶 The Chase... This one is about young adult relationships, not music, but I included it here since author Kyle Kupecky is a musician. 

🎶 City on Our Kness... This TobyMac book will light a fire in you to make a difference in your community. 

🎶  I Can Only Imagine... This is the story of Bart Millard from MercyMe and has also been made into a movie. 

🎶  I Still Believe... Jeremy Camp's novel about his first wife's young death has also been made into a movie.

🎶  In Unison... I liked this Jeremy Camp book, too, written with his wife Adrienne. This one is focused more on marriage advice but still shares music details, too. 

🎶 Like a River... Granger Smith's story is heartbreaking but powerful and this memoir was so well done! He's a great writer.

🎶  My Jesus... Anne Wilson's music story starts with grief. The first halfof the book really broke my heart but this girl has such a lovely heart! 

🎶  Rescue Story... Zach Williams lived fast and hard before he really found Jesus. He talks a lot here about substance abuse and a dysfunctional if not abusive marriage in the beginning of his testimony so be ready for that. 

🎶  Slow Down... Nichole Nordeman's motherhood book wasn't my personal favorite but I did enjoy it. 

Books that have revolutionized my health

 

100 Days of Real Food (and others in the series)... These books teach a lot about artificial ingredients and give a great explanation on what packaged items still count as "real food." I had to make substitutions in many of her recipes since she uses gluten and dairy but I loved the simplicity here.

The Dorito Effect... This book taught me so much about the history of food science in the United States. It frankly made me a little sad and mad at times, and so determined to make sure my kids have a healthier start!

Eat for Life... This book did teach me a lot about foods we should avoid, but it more importantly made me feel passionate and excited about eating healthy meals and serving them to my family.

Fiber Fueled... Longtime followers will likely remember my microbiome phase. I was obsessed and I loved learning so much in this book. I didn't agree with his gluten perspective based on other research I've read and followed for years (or on fermented foods because my body doesn't tolerate them) but I still loved this one. My family and I enjoy keeping track of our plant count each week now. It's a competition around here to see who can hit 30 first!

Forks Over Knives... I read this one after watching the documentary. Much of the information is the same but I'm a book girl so still really appreciated it in book form, too.

Goodbye Lupus... This book may have saved my life and I highly recommend it (plus her YouTube channel) to anyone struggling with ANY autoimmune disease or other chronic illness, including mystery illnesses with no official diagnosis. I'm telling you, this program will change your life. 

How Not to Die... The catchy title here may be misleading because this book isn't really about never dying, just about not dying from awful diseases that cause a lot of suffering. This book did teach me a lot about foods we should avoid, but it more importantly made me feel passionate and excited about eating healthy meals and serving them to my family. God really did design such a cool relationship between the human bodies and plants he created!

Plantfed Mama's Holistic Guide to a Vegan Pregnancy... After years of research, I felt confident that continuing to eat a plant-based diet would be best for me and my baby during this last pregnancy. I wanted to optimize my nutrition and loved using this book! There were others I enjoyed but none as much as this one since many others promote fake meats and such.

Salt, Sugar, Fat... This book taught me so much about the history of food science in the United States. It frankly made me a little sad and mad at times, and so determined to make sure my kids have a healthier start! 

What I read in February

I tried to be really intentional about my first month of postpartum healing this time around and I feel like I did a good job! I napped or rested in bed reading during a lot of baby's naps plus I employed the same trick with this baby that I used to use during nighttime (early morning) feedings- read on the Kindle so I don't engage/stimulate baby during sleep hours yet don't fall asleep! But I didn't do much audio book listening since I wasn't doing the workouts, driving, or chores that normally make sense as audio book time.

First, grown-up reads...

📖 Bible study: Proverbs! Still focused on a very slow bible study- quality, not quantity.

📖 All That Really Matters (Christian, fiction)... I am really fascinated by the overall idea of influencers (it's such a strange byproduct of an internet-heavy world, isn't it?) and really enjoyed this novel about a popular makeup influencer and her time mentoring young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. I'm not at all interested in book 2 but I am really loving Nicole Deese lately so I'll be reading it anyway!

📖 Bitter and Sweet (Christian, fiction)... Yet another book exploring family dynamics and character development. I am forever drawn to deep, rich stories like these. This one is set in South Carolina and focuses on a toxic adult sister relationship + some ties to their great grandmother's past.

📖 Boost Your Breast Milk (secular, nonfiction. Parenting? Health?)... Good, short and to the point, helpful!

📖 The Brain's Way of Healing (secular, nonfiction, health)... I didn't read the whole super long book, just parts that matched up with a loved one's condition. So fascinating!

📖 Formula of Deception (Christian, fiction, suspense)... I was really into this Alaska suspense book but there was a point right near the end that kinda pulled me out of the story. I will try more Carrie Stuart Parks in the future.

📖 Habits of the Household (Christian, nonfiction)... I adored this book! But I do think you won't get much out of it if you aren't actively parenting young children.

📖 Meet Me in the Margins (Christian [but not really], fiction)... I read this because Janssen said it was a good clean read for teens + I'm a sucker for a good book about books/writing. I am not a sucker for romance but they're growing on me IF they're done right. I loved this one! 

📖 A Time to Stand (Christian, fiction)... I was so curious to see how this one would go- a black lawyer who feels called to defend the white police officer who shot an unarmed black teenager. I have liked the other Robert Whitlow books I've read and I liked this one, too. 

📖 Plus the designated chapters of my ongoing baby reads this year, What to Expect: The First Year // The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding // The Wonder Weeks 

And for my kids' shelves...

📖 All of Creation (Christian, upper middle grade, nonfiction)... I've always thought it so strange that an environmental sustainability focus is so often seen as almost anti-Christian. The environment was hand-created by God, we live here, it's the thief who came to destroy, and besides, God is pretty clear in Genesis that we're supposed to take care of our world. This book did a good job of laying out practical things we can do to protect specific plants/creatures/habitats in a very Biblical, faith-focused way. #Christianhippie 🤷🏼

📖 The Blind Girl's Song (Christian, middle grade, fictionalized biography)... This was a well-done, engaging biography about the author of many famous hymns. I enjoyed this one and think a lot of music-minded kids will enjoy it, too. 

📖 Can You Survive: an Alien Invasion (secular, middle grade, fiction, choose-your-own-adventure)... Something that interested my son... Fluff of course, overall fine. Like most of these kinds of books, some adventure paths were better than others.

📖 DNA by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein (secular, middle grade, nonfiction)... Short and informative with fun tidbits thrown in.

📖 Flight of the Eagles (Christian, middle grade, fantasy)... I was curious to see if this 90s story would be too old and outdated for my oldest but it wasn't! He definitely plans to continue the series.

📖 Heroes: Incredible True Stories of Courageous Animals (secular, nonfiction)... These are all stories about animals helping during wars. Some stories end sadly but it's a good read for kids who can handle that.

📖 Kate and the Spies (Christian, middle grade, historical fiction)... This Revolutionary war novel is the third Sisters in Time book I've read and it's going to be a definite hit with one of my kids.

📖 Lena in the Spotlight series- Hello Stars // Daydreams and Movie Screens // Shining Night (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... I liked this Faithgirlz series about a young lady becoming a movie star overnight. Lots of good faith content in these.

📖 The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson (Christian, middle grade, historical fiction)... Really liked this one and know my kids will love it so already planning to use it as our next read-aloud! 

📖 The Mythmakers (secular, YA, nonfiction, graphic novel)... This is a great look at the lives + relationship of JRR Tolkein and CS Lewis which I'll definitely hand to my kids as high schoolers. I also loved this author's Bonhoeffer graphic novel in a similar style.

📖 Nicholas Quick and the Man from the Chaos Dimension (secular, middle grade, fiction, fantasy)... Fantasy is never my favorite but this one was fun and then was a hit with my oldest.

📖 Who Were the Navajo Code Talkers? (Secular, middle grade, nonfiction, history)... I don't love every book in this series but I did really enjoy this one!

📖 Winning the War in Your Mind for Teens (Christian, YA, nonfiction)... Wow, what a powerful read period but especially for supporting teens through those hard angsty times. 

Picture books we enjoyed this month: The Book Bus // Buzzing With Questions // Captain Cat // I Will Rejoice // I've Loved You Since Forever // The King Without a Shadow // Pa, Me, and the Sidewalk Pantry // The Prince and the Porker // Race to Kindness // Take Heart My Child // What's Inside a Flower // The Wonderful Things You Will Be // You Are My Happy  

September reads

First, the grown-up reads!

📖 Bible study... Luke. Verrrry slowly, reading my Bible much more slowly these days on advice from our pastor. Seeking to understand each little bit rather than seeking to get through a lot.

📖 Better Together by Pam Barnhill (nonfiction, homeschool)... I felt so inspired by this little book on homeschool morning time and added so many great readings to our morning basket this month.

📖 Finding God in my Loneliness (Christian, nonfiction)... I was experiencing a strange kind of loneliness in early September that's hard to explain. I felt no loneliness at all in my home life or spiritual life but more in a female companionship kind of way. I am normally very content in This area but i think it was a combination of hormones and wishing I could be experiencing pregnancy alongside a friend. Fortunately that's gone now and I'm back to joyful contentment. This book wasn't quite what I was after and was one of those I had mixed feelings on. I liked several things and disliked/disagreed with a few things. 🤷🏼

📖 The Power of a Woman's Words (Christian, nonfiction)... I read this one very slowly, really savoring and reflecting on tiny morsels at a time. I was reminded of so many things people have said that have stuck with me over the years and reflected a lot on the gifts I want to give with my own words.

📖 A Skeleton in God's Closet (Christian, general fiction)... I was very into this one, about an archaeologist who uncovers something that will turn Christianity on its head. It was so good! I was genuinely invested in the outcome and sped through it. I would say this is a great book for guys, too. There is alove interest but it doesn't dominate the story.

📖 Slow Death by Rubber Duck (secular, nonfiction)... This book is from 2009 so I admittedly already about all of these toxins and had thankfully phased all of them out of our day-to-day life already but I still enjoyed seeing it all in one place and remembering why it's so important to focus on natural, God-designed things!

📖 The Stranger in the Lifeboat (secular publication with a strong faith focus, fiction)... Mitch Albom is for sure my favorite secular author. All of his books I've read so far always move me and make think, reflect, and enjoy a deep a powerful prayer session. This one did contain a curse word. (The A word)

📖 Truly Madly Deeply (Christian, fiction)... This is another Baxter Family stand-alone novel- you don't have to have to read any others to fall into it but you'll of course appreciate it more if you have. This one is largely focused on a high school senior switching career paths and facing a lot of opposition from his mother, and his girlfriend's sudden diagnosis and battle with a health crisis. I now have just two Baxter books left! 😱

Kid shelf reads:

📖 The Bronze Bow (secular, middle grade, Biblical fiction, TGTB)... The cover of this one didn't really appeal to me so I was surprised by how much I loved it!

📖The Golden Goblet (secular, middle grade, historical fiction, TGTB book list)... A bit depressing at first but pretty good!

📖 Joni's Story (Christian, middle grade, memoir)... Loved this memoir by Joni Eareckson Tada and promptly read it aloud to my older kids, too. Fyi to parents, there is one paragraph early on where Joni explains her depression after her accident and that she asked a friend to kill her, using very specific suggestions. I just skipped over the specifics when I read it aloud.

📖 Little Pilgrim's Progress (Christian, middle grade, classic)... It has taken me years to read this classic!

📖 London Art Chase (Christian, middle grade, fiction)... This first book in the Glimmer Girls series was cute and something my daughter has been so excited about! For some reason Amazon shows this as book 2 but it's for sure book 1. 

📖Penny (Horse Diaries) (secular, middle grade)... A paint mare story for my horse-loving kiddo!

📖 Time Crashers: Viking Attack (Christian, middle grade, choose-your-own-adventure)... I liked this one alright but parents should know there is of course fighting due to the Viking theme. In one story line, our MC does meet a violent (but not graphic) fate and youre encouraged to use your time machine and try a different storyline if you don't like that ending. 

Also, library picture books that stood out: Because Barbara //  Cozy Light, Cozy Night

Powerful Christian nonfiction about overcoming an abusive childhood

I'm sure this list needs no introduction or trigger warning but I'll give one just in case. These books are all powerful and inspiring, but also painfully difficult to read. Each author has his or her own past experiences so some share stories of verbal abuse, some violent physical abuse, some sexual, and some a combination. How detailed each author was varies.

📖 All My Knotted-Up Life... This one is the life story (thus far) of popular author and speaker Beth Moore. She came under fire for some controversy not too long ago and she does address that here.

📖 The Complicated Heart... Sarah Mae's mother was an abusive alcoholic and Sarah's life was anything but easy as a result. She has been very open in the past about her teenage abortion and testimony, and she shares that in this one too.

📖 A Family Shaped by Grace... I was quite surprised by this book, was expecting a simple how-to for grace-filled conflict resolution and while there were some great tips, there was also some very powerful background story.

📖 Finding Spiritual Whitespace... Again, this book really surprised me. I thought I was getting just a simple how-to and instead found myself frequently tearing up, deeply moved and inspired by Bonnie Gray's story. 

📖 I Can Only Imagine... This one is by the frontman of MercyMe. I listened to their music a lot while reading through this one and then watched the movie when I finished. 

📖 Leaving Cloud 9... This is one of those books that came into my life at the exact right time. A person in my life had just made a very dark choice but reading about similar mental health struggles in this book gave me important perspective and helped me find my way to the grace and compassion I'm called to have.

📖 The Mom I Want to Be... This one is less about motherhood in general and more about the author's journey into healthy and loving motherhood despite being given an abusive model as a child. 

📖 Stormie... I had read some of this author's Power of a Praying ___ books in the past but had no idea just how powerful her faith story was! The whole first half of this memoir is dark and painful to read but the faith journey is such a beautiful sight to behold!  

The most important traits

 

"While we do want to discover the uniqueness of each child, our praise must consist of verbal applause for more than appearance and talents. The most important traits we praise are those that exhibit Godly character. The Bible calls these "the fruit of the Spirit": love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). If even a sprout of these fruits peeks through the soil, a wise mother will fertilize the sprout with positive words in hopes of a bountiful harvest." - The Power of a Woman's Words by Sharon Jaynes 

I am loving this book! It's inspiring me so much that I'm reading it ultra slow, one section at a time, so I can drag out how long I'm inspired. Do you ever do that? 

Easter Books!

Amon's Adventure (Christian, middle grade)... This is a devotional style biblical fiction four middle graders but I enjoyed it too. Sarah McKenzie of Read Aloud Revival encourages you to just read the story rather than the devotional element and I have to agree.

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett (secular, picture book)... This is fully secular, all Easter eggs and bunnies, but I can't resist Jan Brett's gorgeous illustrations!

The Easter Story by Carol Heyer (Christian, picture book)... Love this one! Beautiful message at the beginning and end, lovely way of writing out the Easter story, and lovely illustrations.

The Easter Story by Patricia A Pingry (Christian, picture book)... This is one of our books that gets read every Easter. Very cut and dry, the Easter story with simple illustrations that we all like.

The Friends of Jesus by Karen Kingsbury (Christian nonfiction) ... This biblical fiction by Karen Kingsbury was such a powerful read! I do seem to love anything she writes, at least so far, but I would highly recommend this one around Easter!

God Gave Us Easter (Christian, picture book)... We like all the books in this series so this is of course a fun one to pull out and read every year at Easter.

The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown (secular, picture book)... Technically I do not adore this book, although I do like it fine, but it is special because it belonged to my husband when he was little. It's fun to pull a book out of the shelf that we know daddy once read during his childhood Easters!

The Legends of Easter Treasury- The Legend of the Easter Egg // The Legend of the Easter Robin // The Legend of the Sand Dollar (Christian, picture book)... I love all three of these stories, which you can find as standalones as well.

Precious Moments The Joy of Easter and The Wonder of Easter (Christian, picture book)... We enjoy both of them. Precious Moments was a part of my childhood and I still love the sweet illustrations to this day.

Rufus and Ryan Celebrate Easter (Christian, board book)... This one is a board book for the littlest Easter lovers and the series was a hit for our family during our board book days. 

The Tale of the Three Trees (Christian, picture book)... I recommend this beautifully written book at both Christmas and Easter and you will see why once you read it! There is such a beautiful, powerful message in this book about three trees being cut down and turned into something powerful in the life of Jesus. 

The Time of Easter by Suzanne Richterkessing (Christian, picture book)... Church mice explain the Lutheran practices surrounding Easter. Cute illustrations, informative in an understandable way.