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Monthly Archives: September 2017

My Favorite Nonfiction Book of the Year!

30 Saturday Sep 2017

Posted by Jennifer in Books I LOVE, Reviewed Books

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Daring to Hope, Katie Davis Majors, Kisses from Katie

Daring to hope

 

For the first time in a long time, I ran for a highlighter while reading a book. Typically, I try to preserve the new look of book I read so that I may pass it on to a friend when I am finished. I read so many titles in a year, I can’t imagine keeping them all….unless I really love it.  I am keeping Daring to Hope, with its dog-eared, highlighted pages to reread and reference. It is refreshing, impacting, and perspective changing.

A few years ago, I worked at a Lifeway Christian Store during the holiday seasons.  During any slow times, I would straighten books and flip through any that looked interesting.  It is here that I first discovered a girl named Katie Davis in her first book  Kisses From Katie.  I was blown away by the testimony of this young, beautiful girl who relocated to Uganda to care for orphans. Since then, I have kept up with her story on social media. This new book, Daring to Hope, offers so much insight into serving, suffering, and as Katie says, singing in the dark.

In the chapter, Come to Life, I found a particular reflection that I made a point to underline. Katie says, “Our God is not too big for the small and is glorified in our ordinary moments as we invite Him in.  When I invite Him into my tiny and ordinary moments, even mundane moments become extraordinary. Small acts of love become whispers of His glory in the midst of our everydayness. ” For a mom with a lot of everyday, ordinary moments, this statement struck a chord with me.

Daring to Hope is a must read for anyone who has been through some rough times and needs a little encouragement. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to read this book. I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher. I was not required to give it a positive review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.

Unseen by Sara Hagerty

19 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by Jennifer in Reviewed Books

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Christian Living, faith, Reviewed Books, Sara Hagerty, Unseen

Unseen

 

A repost from a friend on Instagram led me to discover Sara Hagerty and her gift with words. I love this book and its holy message. Unseen challenged me in a way that I haven’t been in a very long time. Hagerty challenges me to waste time on Jesus, and to enjoy all the hidden parts of lie. As the front cover suggests, hiddeness is a gift.

Unseen addresses a heart issue that is truly new to this generation of women: “…being hidden, in a world that loves to be noticed.” Our lives are lived out loud through Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Everyones’ highlight reel plays before our eyes as our thumbs flip through post after post. It becomes difficult to believe that our everyday mundane lives matter. Hagerty challenges us to see that it is in our hidden moments that we develop a relationship with Jesus.

Throughout Unseen, Sara Hagerty focuses on the story of Mary of Bethany in the book of Mark from the Bible.  Mary was ridiculed for breaking a bottle of expensive perfume and pouring it on Jesus’ feet.  Throughout Unseen, Sara points back to the story and how what many saw as waste, was truly an expression of love.  In chapter one Sara writes,

“Mary has eyes for one. Her motives were oriented toward Him. She wasn’t driven to His feet by accolades, and she stayed despite criticism. What she cultivated with this man, Jesus, in the quiet and ordinary became her greatest expression. This is radical love, according to Jesus.”

After reading Unseen, I feel like I have been given a new perspective. Being seen, noticed, or having a platform are not the goal of this life. A relationship with Jesus, a life oriented toward him is the ultimate gift.  I encourage you to put to this book at the top of your list. As soon as I started reading, I instantly thought of friends I wanted to have a copy.  I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher. No positive review was required and I have not been compensated.

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