Sunshine Days
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Phew! We made it through December & another year! The middle week of December was a doozy for me because I was busily cleaning my house for out-of-town guests while also managing our daily routine. Of course, that meant some good audiobook time, too.
I was able to read this book through NetGalley & the Tyndale Refresh imprint of Tyndale Publishers. I was drawn to the book because of the title & description. I am always looking for more information about healthy habits to incorporate into our life. While there is some great information here, it isn't necessarily anything new or earth-shattering. The fact that this book was from a Christian publishing house, I was expecting to have more incorporation of Biblical principles & perspectives throughout the book. Many times, these types of books can get really preachy & this book treads into that territory at times. However, the author does acknowledge her past mistakes & offers varying levels of healthy changes that the reader can make fit into their lives. Not a bad book, and it could be a great resource for people seeking to make these types of changes.
These ladies have been such a blessing in my life. As a young mom, I wanted a Gospel framework for this incredibly hard yet sanctifying work of mothering. God brought their ministry Risen Motherhood across my Instagram feed, & I am so thankful. This book is helpful for any mom in any stage of parenting to get that Gospel-centered mindset. While their first book, Risen Motherhood, gave Gospel answers for a variety of situations we might face, this book gives more of an open-ended, "how-to" type of structure so that you can carry these truths with you into any scenario. Instead of thinking through it for us, Laura & Emily (who are closing down RM next year) want to send us into our days with tools to be successful. This is a book every Christian mom will want on their book shelf!
His name is everywhere in conservative circles, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. In this book, Peterson works through some of what he thinks of as foundational stories of the Bible & how they connect to our Western society. He makes some really striking connections--good (Abraham's hospitality vs. the hospitality of Sodom) & maybe a bit strange (Jonah & the whaling industry?). The author approaches the Bible as a mainly literary work that has influenced so many facets of our world. He is not a believer, referring to Moses' staff as a "magic wand" & making other slightly snide/cynical comments about these stories that believers read as literal history. Peterson's knowledge of the whole story of the Bible & the connections the Old Testament has with the New are impressive. However, when I read his final conclusions, I am sad that for all of his academic prowess & logical arguments in favor of Biblical ethics, Jordan B. Peterson misses the Good News. He simply tells his reader to work a little harder, push a little more, do that extra nice thing. Strive to do more good & maybe you will meet a favorable eternity when you die. Mr. Peterson, it is not anything that we do that makes us acceptable to God. It is all His grace. And we do not have to guess at what will happen after death, we can know for sure! This is a really cool book, but make sure you read it knowing that this man is looking at the Bible as an academic text, not God's Word.
This book is a collection of essays or blog posts that the author has written on the subject of suffering. As she shares her life story, the reader cannot help but be amazed at the amount of pain this woman has endured. From her earliest years, her health was fragile. Childhood bullying, international moves, cultural changes have all impacted her. She has also had to walk through dark times as an adult when her marriage fell apart. Vaneetha doesn't shy away from the questions she threw at God. She doesn't sugarcoat her ordeals or the doubts they brought with them. However, she also testifies of God's faithfulness through it all. She runs to the Gospel & rests in His goodness & wisdom. Each chapter is short enough to read in the margins of your days.
I highly recommend this advent devotional! If you've ever felt like an outsider in this world, this book will encourage & reassure you. If you've ever desired to have a fuller understanding of Advent, this book will point your heart toward the beauty & hope of Jesus' second coming. Caroline also includes some of her songs that she's written based on these passages. I'm sure you will find some new favorites to add to your Christmas playlist.
My last of these posts for the year!
If you're interested, here is my full booklist for this year & links to my other monthly book review posts.
Cheering you on!
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