Tag: book review
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The Big Picture of Fear
On our first-ever house-hunting excursion, we walked into a little ranch with chalk paint on the cabinets in the kitchen. If it had been anywhere near our price range, I would have bought it on the spot just for that feature. In an instant, I was imagining how we’d use that chalk wall. I’d draw…
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A Shift in Perspective
The kitchen countertops were covered with ingredients, bowls, and cooking utensils. I started cooking in the late afternoon, consumed with preparing an elaborate meal. After I-don’t-know-how-long, my father-in-law stepped into the kitchen. “Ta-da” he announced. Lights flicked on. Turns out, I’d been cooking in the dark. It was amazing what a difference a shift in…
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Seeing the Hand of God in Joseph’s story
“In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28 This verse is one of those we cling to. We cling to it when “all things” feel really hard or hurt deeply. When we can’t make sense of anything and when we can’t imagine there’s…
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More of God Book Review
6am. My phone alarm rang obnoxiously even though it was still dark. I had a new job, plus my old job, and a renewed commitment to spending time focused specifically on God. Every (very busy) day. Some part of my heart got up so early because I actually wanted to grow in my walk with…
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Hope Your Heart Needs Review
We’ve got a little dog with a lot of character. Every day, I’m reminded of his faithfulness when I get home and he’s happy to see me. I recognize his intelligence when he teaches himself new tricks. I know what he loves as he paws insistently, begging for laps and food and soft blankets to…
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Deepening Your Faith
I’ll admit, I’m not much for water. Oceans are pretty, but I’d rather climb the side of a mountain than fight the tide. When we hit the pool, my toe goes first. Then my foot. Then my ankle. It’s a long, tedious process that often occupies more minutes than time in the pool actually does….
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The Ongoing Struggle with Control (And How God Answered My Prayer)
I heard the sound of glass rattling in the kitchen. Peeking in, I saw my guy kindly unloading the dishwasher. My first response? To *almost* inform him he was doing it wrong. How does one unload a dishwasher incorrectly? By breaking everything? By dumping dirt on the plates? Placing everything in the cereal cupboard? Nope….
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How to Take Thoughts Captive When You Feel Like You’ve Lost It
You wouldn’t think it’s possible to get lost in a stand-up shower. But for me, this is a regular occurrence. The cream-colored fiberglass is smooth, except for droplets of water dripping slowly down. I stand there shivering in my hastily tugged on and slightly dampened clothing, unaware of where I am, why, or the fact…
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God Made Martha
“What’s a Martha?” my husband asked when he saw the title of the book. “Martha from the Bible,” I replied, tapping the subtitle. He read it out loud: “good news for the woman who gets things done.” Laughing, he said, “that’s you!” Tackling common misconceptions, Reid addresses the reasons Jesus corrected Martha when she grew…
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Ecclesiastes and The Wise Fool
“Have you ever read Ecclesiastes?” my friend asked. We’d been talking about philosophy and that question we all face sometimes: does any of this matter? I hadn’t taken any drastic measures yet. A nose piercing was about the least risky thought I’d entertained in my crisis of purpose. “What’s Ecclesiastes?” I replied, expecting an explanation…