A Simplified Life by Emily Ley

I have read a number of books on organizing my life. This one is certainly the most beautiful I've seen. The stunning photographs add a sense of warmth to what can be a very difficult process.

Ley helps us simplify ten areas of life. In each area, she has us take an inventory, set up accountability and gives resources, and helps us create successful routines. The goal is for all of these to work together to create the life we truly desire. Part of the process is discovering our gifts and creating routines that resonate with them and our personality style.

I really like that she insists we spend no money on this process. Part of her strategy is that we become content with what we have. I like her philosophy behind the suggested actions. She starts with decluttering, for example, but with a view to making the home restful and a place of connection. Next comes cleaning out the closet, but with a view to dressing the way we like and that makes us comfortable. She goes on to encourage us to create meaningful meal times, work on schedules and finances. I like that in her section on technology, she suggests turning off notifications. Yes, they are so very distracting.

Perhaps my favorite strategy is the “brain dump.” Ley suggests writing thoughts in a journal. Dumping all those thoughts onto paper makes space in the mind for rest, providing the gift of brain space. I really like that idea.

I recommend this book to women who are looking for a gentle and thoughtful book on simplifying life. You'll find lots of questions and writing space to work out your own plan around the many suggestions and strategies Ley provides.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Emily Ley is the founder and creative director of Emily Ley Paper & Gifts. She is the creator of the Simplified Planner. She has a degree from the University of West Florida, was the director of the city ballet, then worked in nonprofit management and public relations before creating her own company. She has received numerous awards for her design work. She and her husband have three children. You can find out more at https://www.emilyley.com/.

Thomas Nelson, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Sacred Rest by Saundra Dalton-Smith Blog Tour

About the book:

Staying busy is easy. Staying well rested- there's a challenge.

How can you keep your energy, happiness, creativity, and relationships fresh and thriving in the midst of never-ending family demands, career pressures, and the stress of everyday life? In Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine doctor, reveals why rest can no longer remain optional.

Dr. Dalton-Smith shares seven types of rest she has found lacking in the lives of those she encounters in her clinical practice and research-physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, sensory, social, creative-and why a deficiency in any one of these types of rest can have unfavorable effects on your health, happiness, relationships, creativity, and productivity. Sacred Rest combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and the resulting fruit of rest. It shows rest as something sacred, valuable, and worthy of our respect.

By combining scientific research with personal stories, spiritual insight, and practical next steps, Sacred Rest gives the weary permission to embrace rest, set boundaries, and seek sanctuary without any guilt, shame, or fear.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

My review:

Rest? Who can rest when there is so much to do? If I'm not accomplishing something, I feel guilty. Isn't it all about productivity?

Dalton-Smith was on that treadmill with a successful and busy medical practice. She found out that there is a better way of living. We need rest. We need several kinds of rest (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, sensory, creative). If we don't get the rest we need and are designed for, we suffer burnout.

There were some surprises in this book. Sleep is not rest. In fact, our sleep may be quite restless. Sleep is just a physical aspect of our lives and does not touch the other kinds of rest we need. There were some surprises when Dalton-Smith described the kinds of rest too. For example, “Isolation and loneliness are the two most common forms of social restlessness.” (78) Social rest is rather making space for those relationships that revive us. (79)

I love her section on creative rest. She writes about hikes in the mountains or urban trails, seeing God's work in creation. “Studies have shown our brains are most at rest in natural environments like the beach.” (101)

Rest can be uncomfortable. It opens us up and reveals things about ourselves. (111) Maybe that's why some people surround themselves with noise, activity, or social media, even if those are things that never truly satisfy.

Dalton-Smith writes about the benefits or gifts of rest in the second part of the book. One is allowing the soul room to expand and grow. (177) There are spiritual benefits. “Rest is knowing that you are preapproved for all of God's blessings.” (140)

I highly recommend this book. Dalton-Smith shows that rest is a biblical mandate supported by medical research. She has great teaching on rest and how it affects all of life. She includes a rest deficit assessment so you can evaluate yourself too.

I am taking part in a blog tour of this book and you can read other reviews here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the author:

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an author, speaker, and board-certified physician. She has an active medical practice in Alabama (near the Birmingham area). She received her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Georgia, and graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Baker College and Davenport University in Michigan teaching courses on health, nutrition, and disease progression. Dr. Dalton-Smith is a national and international media resource on the mind, body, spirit connection and has been featured in Women's Day, Redbook, and First For Women magazine. She is the author of "Set Free to Live" and "Come Empty" (winner 2016 Golden Scroll Nonfiction Book of the Year and 2016 Illumination Award Gold medalist). She is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association and a repeat keynote speaker at their annual gathering. She has shared her tips on merging faith and medicine with over 16,000 health care professionals to encourage the current and next generation of doctors to treat the whole person.

Find out more about Saundra at http://ichoosemybestlife.com.

FaithWords, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Litfuse.

A Song of Home by Susie Finkbeiner

About the book:

Pearl Spence is finally getting used to life in Michigan. She’s made her peace with the piles of snow that come with winter. She and Ray are making friends and figuring out how to fit in. Pearl has even discovered the library, a place she’d never heard of back in Dust Bowl Oklahoma. In fact, a chair in the stacks, surrounded by books, might be her new favorite place on earth— until she discovers swing dancing.

Now Opal Moon, the family’s hired help and an expert in swing, is teaching Pearl the steps to this new style of dance. The sheer fun of the moves and music is a distraction from the fact that Mama is still missing, too caught up in her own grieving to spare a thought for her family.

When Mama unexpectedly returns, it isn’t a happy occasion. Pearl must decide between forgiveness and bitterness—and when calamity strikes again, there are no easy answers.

Finkbeiner’s portrayal of both tragedy and everyday life in times of great change is charged with a raw beauty that will haunt the reader. Fans of the two prior Pearl Spence novels won’t be disappointed!

You can find out more about the book and read an excerpt here.

My review:

This is the third in the series following the life of Pearl Spence. You can read my review of the previous books: A Cup of Dust and A Trail of Crumbs. This book reads well on its own as the back story is subtly included in this novel. The previous novels are very good so I would suggest they be read to thoroughly enjoy this one.

Finkbeiner continues to create novels with a good understanding of human nature and why people behave the way they do. We see in this novel how Pearl's mother reacts to tragedies that are more than any one person should bare. We also see how people react to the racial tension in Michigan in the 1930s. In the midst of all the turmoil is Pearl, an eleven year old trying to understand all the adults are experiencing.

The main theme of the novel is perhaps best caught by something Aunt Carrie says. “Forgiveness is the hardest gift to give... It can cost us so much.” (166) Forgiveness is explored in this novel on many levels.

I do like Finkbeiner's writing style. It has an old time feel to it, like novels actually written in the 1930s. The every day life of Pearl and those around her is well portrayed in an entertaining yet insightful way.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Susie Finkbeiner is a wife, mom, and author from West Michigan. She is an avid blogger (www.susiefinkbeiner.com) and is on the planning committee of the Breathe Christian Writers Conference. 

Kregel Publications, 312 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review. The "about the book" section was provided by the publisher.

Building the Body by Gary L. McIntosh and Phil Stevenson

I like the authors' emphasis on a fit church as opposed to a healthy church. They draw the parallel to a healthy human, with low blood pressure and cholesterol levels, who is unfit and can't do physical activity. They identify five fitness levels of churches: beginner, novice, intermediate, advanced, and elite. Fit churches must be strong, able to endure, be flexible, and eat right (from the Word). Being a fit church requires being intentional and having discipline.

The authors go through the twelve characteristics of a fit church, including a Plan of Action for each fitness level of churches. They also include guidelines for developing ministry, such as effective evangelism. They give many church success stories and some enlightening stories of churches not being successful.

I liked some of their insights. For example, some churches assume, in error, that having building in the community makes them present in the community. (Loc 671/3396) They also note that some churches learn to function well with their dysfunctions, their dysfunctions becoming the norm. (Loc 244/3396)

I did not like the emphasis on the paid staff. Paid staff is to be the financial priority in the church's budget. (Loc 1108/3396) The pastor is described as the SEO (spiritual executive officer) of the church. He is responsible for hearing from God and setting the vision for the church. (Loc 2025/3396) Lay people, I guess, are not invited to be part of the discerning process. I think that emphasis sends the wrong message to lay people who often minister several times a week in addition to their 9 to 5 job. This especially hurts when the pastor's salary and benefits are far above the average income of the lay people. Lay people are quick to conclude that they are not important. The authors had previously written, “Becoming a fit church is directly proportional to the degree the people of God are active in ministry.” (Loc 879/3396) Pastors and their visions come and go. It is ultimately the lay people who keep the church moving toward fitness.

Another area of the book puzzled me. When the authors write about worship, they include lots of characteristics and strategies. They recommend development by a team, evaluation, planning, paying attention to things like pace and flow, being culturally relevant, being Christ exalting, and more. The authors never mention intentionally seeking what pleases God in worship nor praying to God to ask the Spirit to lead the worship planning process.

The authors have left the importance of prayer to the last quarter of the book. I would rather have had prayer emphasized at the beginning of the book, as an initial foundation, not near the end. But then, this book is pretty much a facts and figures kind of book. For example, the authors describe the baseline of the health of a church as the number of salvations, baptisms, and funds invested in disciple-making initiatives. (Loc 1920/3396)

For a book on the church to be really effective, I think it needs to be meaningful in all nations and cultures. It seems like this book concentrates on American churches. A fit Chinese underground church probably would not consider hiring a sound technician as part of their worship ministry, let alone even have a building that required sound. A pastor in Africa probably would not be able to plan out his sermons a year in advance nor think about hiring a paid worship staff person.

I did realize a couple of truths in reading this book. I found out that being a fit church takes a great deal of intentionality and work. It is not going to happen by accident. Just the development of lay ministry, including mentoring and encouraging, would be a full time volunteer job. I also understand that my discomfort with some churches has been because they were not fit.

I do recommend this book to lay people and paid church staff to get a good idea of what a fit church is like. There is a great deal of informative material in this book. Potential readers need to realize, however, that “fit church leaders” (Loc 1117/3396) may be few in number and not a reasonable expectation for your church. It may be up to you as a lay person to initiate the movement of your church to fitness. This book will give you a good start on that journey. I would recommend that you read this book along with another one that emphasizes the spiritual nature of a healthy or fit church.

This is a critical review from a lay person who has been active in churches for fifty years, on church boards, director of adult education, teaching adults classes (often twice a week), all while working full time at the small Christian bookstore I owned. My criticism of the emphasis on paid staff arises from the year our church was without pastoral staff. I was on the church board during that year, chair of the deacons. We had more people involved in ministry that year than I had ever seen. People stepped up and volunteered to preach, to lead worship, to lead ministries. People later told us they had never seen the church function so smoothly. It can be done if the lay people are well informed and included in every aspect of decision making, including seeking God for vision and direction.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Gary L. McIntosh is an internationally known author of twenty five books, speaker and professor of Christian ministry and leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He has written extensively in the field of pastoral ministry, leadership, generational studies, and church growth. He received his MDiv in Pastoral Studies from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, and a Dmin in Church Growth Studies and PhD in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife live in Temecula, California. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren.

Phil Stevenson has an extensive background in coaching denominational leaders, pastors, and church planters. He has consulted on evangelism, church growth, and multiplication issues with a variety of denominations. He currently serves as the District Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest District of the Wesleyan Church and is also a visiting professor at six universities and seminaries. He has an MA in theology and philosophy from Point Loma Nazarene University, and a DMin from Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. He has authored six books. He and his wife live in Roseville, California. They have three adult children and two grandchildren.

Baker Books, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

If My Moon Was Your Sun by Andreas Steinhofel Illustrations by Nele Palmtag

About the book:

A touching story about dementia and the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren, with a CD audiobook featuring classical music for children by Georges Bizet and Sergei Prokofiev.

My review:

This is a nice story about a young boy who wants to have a day with his grandfather like they used to have before his grandfather went into a memory care facility. He manages to sneak his grandfather out of the facility one morning and go on a bus to a favorite meadow. Ultimately they are missed, found, and must return.

The artwork is delightful and the music is nice too. It would be a nice story to read to a child who has a grandparent with dementia. There is no great moral to the story nor insight into the disease. The hardcover book includes a CD with selections of classical music and the audio of the book.

You can find out more about the book and watch a trailer here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Andreas Steinhöfel is an award-winning German writer of children’s books. He received the Erich Kästner Prize for Literature in 2009 and the German Children’s Literature Award in 2013. In addition to writing books for young readers, he also works as a translator, writes for television and radio, and edits graphic novels. Born in 1962 in Battenberg, Germany, he now lives in Berlin.

Plough Publishing House, 75 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children by Jodie Berndt

Berndt reminds readers that even when parents have done everything they knew to do right in raising their children in the faith, there is no guarantee that they will remain faithfully strong. It is essential that parents pray for their children, even when they are adults and have a life of their own.

There are two aspects to this book. One is stories. Berndt tells many from her own family and many from the families of others. Lots of the stories include wonderful answers to prayer but I liked it that she has included stories where parents are still struggling over problems unsolved. These stories help encourage parents that they are not alone in their concern for their adult children. They also encourage parents to realize that it is never to late to pray for their children.

The other aspect of the book is praying Scriptures. Berndt likes to have a biblical basis for her prayers and includes many on a variety of topics. There are prayers for the adult children and prayers the parents can pray for themselves.

Some of the topics were no surprise, such as praying for your child's spouse or to get a job. But some did surprise me, like praying for your child's mental and emotional health and praying to overcome temptation.

The bottom line is trusting God. That is ultimately what Berndt is asking God to help her do, put her confidence, her trust, and her delight in Him rather than in any blessing or gift He might provide. “And I'm asking him to do that for my children and their spouses too.” (307) If that resonates with you, this book will help you on that path.

Berndt believes we must continue to fight for our families and the first line of attack is prayer. This book contains good insights and suggestions for maintaining a life of prayer over your children.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Jodie Berndt is the author of several books. She and her husband have four grown children and two sons-in-law. She is a speaker and Bible teacher. You can find her writing at https://jodieberndt.com/.

Zondervan, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Handlebar. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Food for Thought by Janet Mitchell Blog Tour

About the Book

Title: Food for Thought  
Author: Janet Lynn Mitchell  
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help  
Release Date: December 1, 2017  

Food for Thought is filled with personalized verses just for you. It’s been written to help you claim God’s Word as your own. The thoughts included within the verses are from fellow dieters. Food for Thought is not meant to be a substitute for actual Scripture, but an addition, bringing you new insight, perspective, hope and encouragement as you move toward and reach your weight-loss goal. Blank pages have been placed in the back so that you can add additional Scripture and/or words of encouragement. Recite these verses and include them when you pray. Then watch as God’s Word rejuvenates and empowers you. Experience your faith increasing, as faith comes by hearing, reading, speaking, and living the Word of God.

You can buy this flip book here.

My review:

Mitchell has made a collection of verses on a variety of topics from a number of Bible translations. She has added phrases to have each verse apply to weight loss or eating in general. For example, under the topic of Binging/Bulimia, Mitchell has Proverbs 25:16b in the Amplified. The actual Amplified reads, “Eat only as much as you need, Otherwise, being filled excessively, you vomit it.” The way Mitchell has rephrased it, “I only eat as much as is sufficient for me (adequate to meet my physical needs), as being filled (gorged or stuffed) with it, I vomit.” She has added explanatory words in parenthesis and has slightly rewritten the verse so that it can be used as a positive confession. Here is another example: “The food I get by cheating may taste delicious (incredible and scrumptious), but it turns to gravel (unhealthy and harmful calories – a heavy load).” Proverbs 20:17 CEV

I recommend this flip book to those who are looking for Bible verses to confess on topics related to eating and loosing weight. Mitchell has done a good job of rephrasing Bible verses to be used specifically by those desiring to be disciplined in their eating. There are also sections on faith, giving thanks, goals etc., but the majority of the verses deal with issues concerning food.

I reviewed this flip book in digital form so cannot speak to its physical nature. 

About the Author

Candid, dynamic, friendly…and memorable are some of the words used to describe Janet Mitchell.

Her fun, engaging style keeps her audiences wanting more. As a master storyteller, she shares her heart, passions and faith, relating incidents from her life that will touch you and make you laugh. Janet addresses relevant life issues and how it just takes one to make a difference in your world!

Janet has held staff positions with Youth for Christ and Forest Home Christian Conference Center and has served as the director of a Christian preschool. Janet is a CLASS Speaker (Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers) and is a popular speaker for women’s events, MOPS, family camps and single-parent groups.

As a senior in high school, Janet lost the use of her legs following surgery. On the night of her tenth surgery, she met Marty, who became her cheerleader and was alongside her as she learned to walk again. Eventually, he became her husband. Janet and Marty have been married for over thirty-five years and have three children. Janet’s knee problems reoccurred when she was thirty-two. She was horrified to learn she had been a victim of medical negligence, fraud and concealment. Her additional surgeries had been attempts to correct the mistakes. Janet has since become a voice for others who have suffered medical fraud. Assembly Bill 2571, borne out of her misfortunes, unanimously passed both the California Assembly and the Senate and was signed into state law on August 31, 2000. Her story, Taking a Stand, has motivated others to “take a stand” and remain firm in their faith through the good, bad, and the outrageous.

Janet has been featured on radio programs across the nation, including popular programs such as Focus on the Family and Billy Graham’s Decision Today. Janet has appeared on television programs such as, Fox, CBS and ABC News, Aspiring Women, The Harvest Show, and Chuck and Jenny. Her stories and articles have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Multnomah’s Stories for the Extreme Teen, and in magazines such as Woman’s World, Light and Life, and Celebrate Life. Her Testimony, “When Doctors Make Mistakes,” was published in the July/August 2005 issue of Today’s Christian Woman magazine.

Janet’s book, A Special Kind of Love, published by Broadman and Holman and Focus on the Family, has been highlighted by Rick Warren in his “Ministry Toolbox.” Her Hands on Faith: Family Nights and Hands on Faith: Family Fun books by Carson- Dellosa are now available along with Janet’s five new Praying Scripture Flip Books. Janet’s Taking a Stand was released in November of 2006. It is truly a testimony of God’s faithfulness through the good, bad and outrageous. This past year Janet’s latest book, Words Matter became available. One thing Janet has learned is:

It just takes one to change the world we live in.

Blog Stops

Multifarious, January 5

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 5

Splashes of Joy, January 6

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 6

Mary Hake, January 7

proud to be an autism mom, January 7

Reading is my Super Power, January 8 (Interview)

A Greater Yes, January 8

Bibliophile Reviews, January 9

Texas Book-aholic, January 10

Carpe Diem, January 11

A Baker’s Perspective, January 12

Pursuing Stacie , January 13

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 14

Remembrancy, January 15

Pink Granny’s Journey, January 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 16

Janices book reviews, January 17

margaret kazmierczak, January 17 (Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, January 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)

Bigreadersite, January 18

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

Gospel Fluency Handbook by Ben Connelly and Jeff Vanderstelt

Are you constantly slipping in and out of believing God's word about you and trusting in His work on your behalf? Do you forget who He is, what's He's done, and, in light of that, who you are? Learn how to connect the way gospel truths actually matter to everyday life with Jeff Vanderstelt and Ben Connelly's new book and resource, Gospel Fluency Handbook. The discussions and exercises in this 8-week interactive handbook provide a step-by-step immersion of your mind, heart, soul, and life in the gospel. Each week follows a simple format: three sets of personal readings and reflections, a weekly guide for group discussion and exercises that will lead to becoming a more gospel-fluent people.

About the book:

"I'm an unbeliever. So are you," Jeff Vanderstelt tells us in his book Gospel Fluency.

We slip in and out of believing God's word about us and trusting in his work on our behalf. We forget who He is, what's He's done and in light of that who we are.

Do these statements resonate with you? Then the Gospel Fluency Handbookwas written for you. For those who've realized there are areas of life-your normal, everyday, busy life-where you disbelieve God, His goodness and His gospel. For those who are keenly aware and weighted down by a failure to connect the way gospel truths actually matter to everyday life.

The Gospel Fluency Handbook is designed to help you and your group become fluent in the gospel-in other words, to help you move from unbelief to belief. The discussions and exercises in this 8-week interactive handbook provide a step-by-step immersion of your mind, heart, soul, and life in the gospel. Each week follows a simple format: three sets of personal readings and reflections, a weekly guide for group discussion and exercises that will lead to becoming a more gospel-fluent people. People who are learning to see and then speak the truths of Jesus into the everyday stuff of life. The Handbook includes free download code for a companion video series.

Find out more about the book and watch a trailer here.

Read the first chapter here.

My Review:

There is a great deal of good material to work through in this book. It has taken me a couple of weeks just to work through week one material. Readers should plan to spend a year in this book to fully make use of it. For example, "Train yourself to regularly stop and closely examine what you are thinking, feeling or believing in light of the truths of the gospel." (91) Granted, there is some work to that end in the succeeding material, but it would still take a long time to train one's self to be that mindful, I think.

I also think doing the work with a group of trusted friends is essential. For example, a reflection question for week one asks readers to identify situations in their own life where they have believed lies. That may be very hard to do without some input from a friend.

I do recommend this book to Christians who truly want to live out gospel truth. Be prepared for lots of soul searching work.

Food for thought: "A mature Christian is one who resembles Jesus Christ in thought, attitude, emotion, and behavior." (24)

I am taking part in a blog tour of this book and you can read other reviews here.

About the authors:

Ben Connelly, his wife Jess, and their kiddos Charlotte, Maggie, and Travis live in Fort Worth, TX. He started and now co-leads The City Church, part of the Acts29 network and Soma family of churches. Ben also directs church planting for Soma churches across North America, has taught university classes, and has published a few books. With degrees from Baylor University and Dallas Theological Seminary, he writes for various publications, trains folks across the country, and blogs occasionally at benconnelly.net.

Jeff Vanderstelt is the visionary leader for the Soma Family of Churches and the lead teaching pastor at Doxa Church in Bellevue, Washington. When he isn't preaching or mentoring church planters, he and his family share life with their missional community. He is the author of "Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life."

Find out more about Ben Connelly and Jeff Vanderstelt at https://saturatetheworld.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Litfuse. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Litfuse.