The Brave Art of Motherhood - Review

The Brave Art of Motherhood: Fight Fear, Gain Confidence, and Find Yourself Again

By: Rachel Marie Martin

Publication: October 9th 2018 by Waterbrook Press

208 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Full-time FindingJoy.net blogger, speaker, marketer, podcaster, and single mom of seven, Rachel Martin presents a pivotal book for moms to spark the hope they need to overcome self-doubt, fear, pressure, and isolation.

This book is part encouragement and part rally cry for moms everywhere who have gotten lost within the pages of their own story, undervaluing all they do every day and exchanging the beauty of who they are for a Pinterest-perfect illusion. It gives you the tools you need to overcome fear, loneliness, and inaction. By drawing on anecdotes and lessons from her own life, Rachel empowers moms to forget their past mistakes, celebrate what they've already accomplished, and dare to be real about their struggles. She teaches them to cheer each other on toward better days, so that "alone" is replaced with "comradeship" and "fear" is replaced with "courage." You can make changes. You can overcome fear and doubt. You can pursue dreams, find yourself, and live a life of deep happiness and uncontainable joy.

First I need to say that I've been extremely busy in my personal life. *I'm planning and executing a joint birthday party for my one year old and three year old. I'm cleaning house in all of my free time and when I'm not cleaning house I've been working on a side project. That's left me very little time to read. And while this isn't a fault of the book itself, it does factor into my experience of the book, I fell asleep almost every time I finally got a chance to pick this book up. It wasn't that the information wasn't interesting. But the slow speed I made progress was really dragging me down. Again the book isn't really to fault for this--real life got in the way.

I will say that the beginning of this book was a struggle to me. Rachel Marie Martin spends the beginning of the book setting up her struggles so that she can through the rest of the book show her personal transformation and how far she's come. And I knew that was likely the case, but as is the case with fictional characters, when they're struggling it can be a challenge for me as a reader to go through the struggles with them. She also discusses her assumptions made upon others and the church which turned out to be false assumptions, but this wasn't easy for me to read either. While I might not always remember that what we see isn't always all there is to other people, I do try not to assume that others have it all together or have a perfect life that I don't have. It does help that the spiritual family I'm a part of is very open with each other about our struggles. But what she was seeing--or assuming that she saw--of ofthers and the church hit some nerves with me. Thankfully the point of this section is exactly to show the error in her thinking.

I ended up highlighting quite a few passages from The Brave Art of Motherhood. Here are a few of my favorites:

-"Be brave," says my spirit. "Wait," says fear. "Have courage," says my soul. "Not yet," says worry. "Dare," says my heart.

-Do you know what is on the other side of hiding? Freedom.

-... the heart, left unchecked, can easily override the brain's logic and accept irrational, unwise, and incorrect agreements about self, beauty, worth, and ability.

-No one can create agreements in our hearts without our approval.

-Worry will never change a situation.

-...when it is harvest time, you focus on the harvest, not on the barn.

The biggest complaint--if you can call it that--is that I don't know how to quantify this book. It isn't really a Christian book, it isn't really self-help, it isn't really a book about motherhood, it isn't really a book about friendship... I'm just not sure how to categorize this book. It is all of these things and none of them at the same time.

I enjoyed The Brave Art of Motherhood even though it took me so long to finish it. I couldn't quite figure out how to categorize this book, but that didn't stop me from soaking up each part of it. Rachel Marie Martin was both inspiring and relateable. The Brave Art of Motherhood gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read The Brave Art of Motherhood? What did you think? Let me know!

Live Fearless - Review

Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose

By: Sadie Robertson

Publication: February 6th 2018 by Thomas Nelson

224 pages

Genre: Self-Help, Christian, Non-fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--Sadie Robertson, bestselling author and star of Dancing with the Stars, has an important message for her generation: you don’t have to be held back by fear, anxiety, or loneliness anymore. In Live Fearless, Sadie takes you on a thrilling personal journey toward power, passion, and purpose as you live at the center of who God created you to be!

Dear friends,

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired of the struggle. You know which one I mean—fear, loneliness, not knowing who I am or what I’m meant to do. . . . Sound familiar?

I struggled with insecurity, comparison, and isolation for too many years, from thigh gaps to eyebrows to the lifestyles I felt I had to live up to. I was so afraid of being “found out,” that everyone in my life would somehow figure out that I was fearful and small and that I struggled to make my faith a reality and to be secure in who I am. It took a major perspective shift from staring at comments on a screen to really digging into the pages of my Bible to see what God actually says about overcoming fear.

Setting aside the fear, anxiety, and comparison to become the joy-filled person God created you to be is exactly what God is inviting you into. To really be seen and known. To be an agent of change by choosing compassion, connection, and acceptance for everyone you come in contact with. Inside this book are ways to find your power, passion, and purpose—and reach for your dreams. Plus, there are places to jot down notes, fun lists, practical ways to make changes, and thoughts on how living fearless can change everything.

Are you tired of the awful comparison game? Are you exhausted from trying to keep up, from feeling small and afraid that people will find the real you and be disappointed? There is so much more for you. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what your fears are, freedom is available to you. It’s just a matter of saying yes. You in?

Hope you’ll join me on this wild adventure as we learn to Live Fearless together.

Love,

Sadie

I really enjoyed Duck Dynasty when the show came on. While my family isn't big into hunting, I liked how their family dynamic and culture wasn't too far off from what I'm familiar with. I grew up in the country. We had one caution light (not even a full red light) in my home town. So I related to their country living lifestyle. Also being a Christian it was so refreshing to see a family with similar morals and beliefs who weren't afraid to speak about their faith. Plus the Christian faith isn't something we get much from television these days--especially in any kind of positive light. That being said I always liked what I saw of Sadie on the show. I was glad to see that she was taking her opportunities to be a role model for other young adults of this generation.

I don't feel like I've had too much trouble with fear in my life. Of course I have fears but I've never felt controlled by them. Yet while reading Live Fearless I did realize that I'd let fear stop me from doing a few things throughout my life that might have been really fun (going to summer camp as a kid for instance). But I've not experienced the level of fear that Sadie discussed in this book. So I wasn't reading this for personal help so much as curiosity.

From a writing stand point there were a few too many "I'll talk more about this later" type of statements for my taste. In my experience the reader doesn't really need these statements. I don't know how much of that was Sadie's idea or perhaps an editor's. Either way it happened too frequently for my preferences.

One thing I absolutely loved about this book was that Sadie did a great job showing how a Christian can be struggling with a particular area of their life yet still have a vibrant and rich relationship with God. He still uses us and works on us. Because let's be honest... There are no sinless or perfect people. Only Jesus filled the role. So imperfect and struggling with the flesh people are there only people God has to work with because that's who we are. Yet God can still use us for His purposes. And one thing my brother always says is that God is always working on more than one person at the same time.

I also appreciated that while Sadie was open about her struggles with fear she didn't find it necessary to inform the readers about the specifics of the sin she might have experienced in every example she used in this book. She does talk about confession and confessing your sins and struggles to someone you trust, but God doesn't instruct us to confess every sin to every person. It isn't necessary for the reader to know the specifics of every sin she's struggled with in her life.

Favorite quotes:

-If you fear amything other than God, you're giving it too much power in your life. - My mom

-"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him."

-Our job isn't to figure out what the picture will ultimately look like; it's to walk where He leads.

-Don't let shame or regret steal your future the way fear has stolen your past.

I feel that Live Fearless is a great book for the young adults of this generation. I took plenty away from it even though this book reminded me that I'm no longer in that phase of my life (the young adult part even though I still think of myself that way). I think if fear is something you struggle with this book would be helpful for you no matter your age. Live Fearless gets 4 Stars. Have you read Live Fearless? What did you think? Let me know!

Uninvited - Review

Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely

By: Lysa TerKeurst

Publication: August 9th 2016 by Thomas Nelson

240 pages

Genre: Non-fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--The enemy wants us to feel rejected . . . left out, lonely, and less than. When we allow him to speak lies through our rejection, he pickpockets our purpose. Cripples our courage. Dismantles our dreams. And blinds us to the beauty of Christ’s powerful love.

In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences with rejection—from the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father to the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over.

With biblical depth, gut-honest vulnerability, and refreshing wit, Lysa helps readers:

Release the desire to fall apart or control the actions of others by embracing God-honoring ways to process their hurt. Know exactly what to pray for the next ten days to steady their soul and restore their confidence. Overcome the two core fears that feed our insecurities by understanding the secret of belonging. Stop feeling left out and start believing that "set apart" does not mean "set aside." End the cycle of perceived rejection by refusing to turn a small incident into a full blown issue.

I really enjoyed Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst so when I saw that she had a new book coming out I was excited to check it out. Yet when I read the title and description, I felt like maybe this book wasn't exactly for me. See, I don't tend to get my feelings hurt when others don't invite me to specific events and while I definitely have my struggles, I'm pretty comfortable with who I am and don't feel like I need the approval of others to make me feel valuable. But then I saw it on NetGalley and thought it would be a good one for me to review. And I'm glad that even though I wasn't initially approved, the publisher changed their minds and let me review this one because it was about so much more than not being invited to places or events with others.

The truth is that we have all been rejected in one way or other in various aspects of our lives. Maybe it was a relationship that didn't last, or one that never started, or a job that you didn't get, or a parent that left, or any number of rejections. Lysa shares her personal rejections in the areas of a relationship she once thought would be her forever, a friendship that ended, her father who left, and ministry opportunities that didn't pan out. Her own personal vulnerability in sharing her struggles and her heart helps the reader understand that they are not alone with their own rejections. Ms. TerKeurst's writing style is as easy to read as her stories are relate-able. I highlighted a ton from her wording and her message.

Favorite quotes:

-In the quiet of an early morning, honesty finds me. It calls to me through a crack in my soul and invites the real me to come out, come out, wherever you are.

-As long as I suspect that honesty's intention is to expose me and hurt me, it will always feel like a dangerous thing.

-Rejection steals the best of who I am by reinforcing the worst of what's been said to me.

-Things of this world all eventually reveal what incapable anchors they really are.

-I couldn't keep my old broken beliefs, nail a little Jesus truth to the side, and expect stability.

-We must tie our identities to our unchanging, unflinching, unyielding, undeniably good, and unquestionably loving God.

-...when we go to the truth instead of our feelings for the answer to this question, we can understand God's goodness in a whole new light.

-What consumes my thinking will be the making or the breaking of my identity.

-"God, I want Your truth to be the loudest voice in my life. Correct me. Comfort me. Come closer still. And I will trust. God, You are good at being God."

Truthfully I highlighted so much that I wish I could share them all with you, but I had to cut them off somewhere.

All of this to say that Uninvited was so much more than I first assumed it would be based off the title. Lysa TerKeurst writes in a way that is beautiful at times, moving, and certainly relate-able to all. I'd highly recommend Uninvited to all women (and men too really). I love how she approached the questions "Is God good? Is God good to me? And is God good at being God?" Uninvited gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Uninvited? What did you think? Let me know!

Anatomy of an Affair - Review

Anatomy of an Affair: How Affairs, Attractions, and Addictions Develop, and How to Guard Your Marriage Against Them

By: Dave Carder

Publication: September 5th 2017 by Moody Publishers

224 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Christian, Self-Help

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--When it comes to adultery, never say, “It won’t happen to me.”

Just when you think your marriage is safe from adultery is when you may be the most vulnerable.

With eye-opening stories, clinical insights, and up-to-date data, Dave Carder reveals what adulterers learned the hard way—and what they want the rest of us to know to save us the pain.

Dave Carder, counselor and author of the bestselling Torn Asunder (100,000 in print), is a sought-after expert on issues of adultery. Here he helps you make your marriage adultery-proof by showing you:

How attractions can lead to affairs Ways you may be vulnerable to affairs The common ingredients of adultery How to restore intimacy to your marriage How to make wise, protective decisions Marriage is too sacred to be taken casually. Affairs are a very real threat, and they can destroy lives and families. For this reason, Anatomy of an Affair should be on every church leader’s and marriage counselor’s required reading list, and in the home of every married couple.

Includes charts and assessments to understand and guard against affairs.

To get a bit more personal than I'd like, my family has suffered from infidelity in the past. So when I saw Anatomy of an Affair I was interested to see what safeguards it could offer as advice to establish in my own marriage to prevent infidelity. Because of the past, going through this with my spouse is one of my biggest fears, and that isn't because I don't trust him. It's because I've seen first hand how little things add up over time and how people you would never expect can succumb. So if there's something I can do in my own marriage to safeguard against this I'm in.

One thing I noticed immediately is that this book isn't brand new. This is a revised and updated version of a book called Close Calls: What Adulterers Want You to Know About Protecting Your Marriage. While I couldn't tell you the updates or differences between these two books, one thing was obvious. "Close call" wasn't just a title. It was a theme throughout the book that the author/publisher chose to leave throughout the revised/renamed edition. Had I not known about the title change I likely wouldn't have thought much about it, but since I did I found this slightly annoying.

Perhaps the biggest thing I took away from this book combined with my own personal experience is that so many affairs begin with friendships ( or coworkers). Friendships that the unfaithful spouse thought they would be able to keep under control. While the author of the book won't go so far as to say that friendships with the opposite sex while married aren't a good idea (he indicates proper boundaries should suffice), I personally don't think that they are. Acquaintances and surface level friendships I have no problem with, but beyond that falls into inappropriate for me. I'm sure plenty of people disagree, but just reading the stories of the couples in this book as well as I've said, my own personal experience, reaffirms my thoughts on this subject.

Anatomy of an Affair was an easy read for me in that I made significant progress at one time. It wasn't an easy read in that it brought up old feelings and memories--painful ones. Not to mention that I found myself getting angry at the unfaithful spouses in the book for not being able to see the danger and damage that they were doing to the people they should love the most. Of course, the author points out that he never counseled a couple where the adulterer was not immensely sorrowful and regretful over their actions. However, if you're reading this book in the midst of these types of situation in your own marriage, I think there are some helpful topics of discussion and worksheets for you. But this is going to be contingent on both spouses participating in the "assignments". I'm not sure that this book would substitute for the needed marriage counselling.

Speaking of worksheets, the worksheets and charts used in this book weren't formatted well to show up on my kindle. Perhaps this is due to my uncorrected proof copy. Or perhaps these types of things just don't translate to a kindle edition. I'd suggest getting the hardcopy version of this book if you hope to make the most out of these tools.

I highlighted a ton--most of which reaffirmed my own thoughts and feelings about ways to prevent infidelity within your marriage. But one thing I realized while reading this book...It is my responsibility and the least I can do to make sure that I am giving my all to my husband. It is my responsibility to ensure that when I feel times of lows in myself and in our marriage (because they have and will come and go), that I work my tail off to get us out of them. It is my responsibility to ensure that I protect myself against falling into friendships that go beyond the appropriate so as to prevent an affair. It is my responsibility to do my best to ensure my husband's needs are met. It is NOT my responsibility to prevent my spouse from having an affair. Our relationship will only work in so much as we are both working to make it the best that it can be. And it does take work. And communication. Which is the second thing I noticed was missing from almost every couple in this book. Not being able to speak your needs to your spouse and/or your spouse not being able to hear your needs. (Or vice versa.)

There is much to take away from Anatomy of an Affair. The importance of maintaining proper boundaries in relationships outside of the marriage. The need for communication in both the speaking and listening categories for both spouses. And so much more. However, I'm not sure that Anatomy of an Affair substitutes for marriage counselling if you're in the midst of an affair or recently discovered affair of your spouse. Anatomy of an Affair gets 4 Stars. Have you read Anatomy of an Affair? What did you think? Let me know!

Praying the Attributes of God - Review

Praying the Attributes of God

By: Ann Spangler

Published: September 20th 2013 by Tyndale House Publishers

336 pages

Genre: Spiritual, Self-Help, Inspirational, Christian

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--God Is Greater than You Think. Many people feel both drawn to God and afraid of him. How can they feel close to a perfect God whom their flawed self is incapable of pleasing? Fortunately, God has revealed truths about himself in Scripture that can untangle our confusion. In this daily guide to studying and praying according to the attributes of God, Ann Spangler resurrects old-fashioned words like holiness, omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Far from boring us, these words, when excavated for their biblical meaning, paint a thrilling vision of God that can help us experience spiritual growth in a deeper way. They can also prevent us from making the colossal mistake of concluding God is too weak, distant, or uncaring to help us when we need him. In the tradition of her bestselling books "Praying the Names of God" and "Women of the Bible," this new daily devotional focuses on one particular attribute each week. "Praying the Attributes of God" will help you see that God is far bigger and far better than you could ever hope or suspect.

I'm embarrassed to even think about how long ago I received Praying the Attributes of God for review. I've read Praying the Names of Jesus by Ann Spangler, and I have Praying the Names of God as well. I figured I ought to finish reading Praying the Names of God before I read Praying the Attributes of God. I was using Praying the Names of God as a guide for teaching my kids' Bible class on Wednesday nights for a while, but once my daughter was born, I took a break from teaching that class. And as a result, my progress in the book was put on hold. However, after Lies We Believe About God by William Paul Young made me sick to my stomach, I wanted a palate cleanser, and Praying the Attributes of God was on my kindle and much easier to access than my hardcover version of Praying the Names of God.

And thank God it was exactly what I needed.

Because I read Lies We Believe About God essentially right before Praying the Attributes of God I couldn't help but compare the two while I was reading this book. I told Husband that it was so refreshing to read a book about God that was actually based upon Scripture. Where I lamented in my review of Lies We Believe About God that what little Scripture was used as a source was completely taken out of context, it was exactly what I needed to read a book that was completely inundated with Scripture (Old Testament and New) concerning God's character and His attributes. I told my readers that if you want to know God then read His Word (The Bible). And I stand by that 100%. That is the only true way to know Him, but Praying the Attributes of God gives you a crash course on who He is based off His Word. Truly there was only one thing I believe I disagreed with and it wasn't about God at all.

Ann Spangler does a wonderful job magnifying God as He deserves. She talks frequently throughout the book about how if God were any different from who and how He is then He would be a weak God and not worthy of being served or worshipped. But He is exactly as He should be. And the way she structures each chapter truly serves to help you pray to become more like God--which should be our aim as Christians. We seek to imitate Christ, and He is the express representation of the Father.

I highlighted so much that going through my notes to find my favorite quotes to share with you guys was completely impossible.

Praying the Attributes of God is everything I look for in a book that's supposed to help me to learn more about my Father as well help me to transform myself into a closer representation of His image. I'm further from the mark than I wish to be, but that's why knowing who God is and what He's like is so important. How can we imitate Him or reflect His image to the world if we do not know who He is or what His character is like? Praying the Attributes of God gets 5 Stars. My only real frustration was the use of the New Living Translation. While this translation may not be considered a paraphrase translation, it is also not a literal translation. I personally try to stick completely to literal or word-for-word translations only. Have you read Praying the Attributes of God? What did you think? Let me know!

Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms - Review

Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms

By: Tim Tebow

Published: October 25th 2016 by Waterbrook Press

224 pages

Genre: Nonfiction, Sports, Biography

Source: Publisher via Blogging for Books (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--First, he was a beloved college football champion, Heisman trophy winner, media sensation, and best-selling author drafted in the first round of the 2010 Draft. Then he had a miracle playoff run with the Denver Broncos before being traded to the New York Jets. After one season he was cut by New York. Next he was signed by the New England Patriots then let go after training camp—a scenario that repeated itself the following summer with the Philadelphia Eagles. Tim Tebow has achieved big victories and plunged the depths of failure, all while never letting go of his faith, even in the face of doubt and disappointment. In Shaken he explains why neither the highs nor the lows of his life can define him—and he reveals how you, too, can find confidence in your identity and know who you are. In revealing passages, Tebow pulls back the curtain on his life, sharing the vulnerable moments of his career that have shaken him to his core—while also teaching the biblical principles that will enable you to keep the faith, no matter what comes your way.

I'm not what you would call a football fan. I went through a period where I was engaged to a guy who was a fan and during that time I'd watch college games with him. After we broke up, I tried to continue watching the game but found that I would get angry when my team wasn't doing well or a ref called a penalty that I didn't agree with. I didn't like who I became while watching football, and I didn't like what I saw of people who say and do things in the name of "football rivalry" to purposefully anger and upset their friends, relatives, and even strangers. I know most of this is in "good fun" and not meant to truly be offensive, but other times offense is exactly the intention. Football isn't at fault here. Humans are.

But even as far back as when I was still engaged to the avid football fan, Tim Tebow was quarterbacking at Florida. I remember watching a few games that he played in. He was good, but what I was most impressed with was his openness with his faith. Since I stopped watching football before he graduated college I didn't really follow his career. I do remember watching an episode of Lip Sync Battle where Tim Tebow battles Nina Dobrev. He stuck with songs like "The Eye of the Tiger" and "Take Your Time" (by Sam Hunt), while she performed "Cheerleader" (by OMI) and "Let's Get It On". I was impressed by his lack of response toward Nina on this episode. She specifically chose "Let's Get It On" in an attempt to make fun of his decision to wait until marriage for sex. He didn't seem offended by her at all. She came off (to me anyway) as trying to flirt with him like she might be the one to show him what he was missing from his archaic and idealistic views on sex. I wasn't impressed with her, but his behavior stuck with me.

One day, I was driving to my mom's house and I was listening to K-Love (a Christian radio station) where Tim* was giving a radio interview about his book. I heard him talking about how our identity is not in what others think about us or what our job is or in our current situation. No. Our identity is in Christ. I was impressed, and I thought that I remembered seeing Shaken available for review. When I got home, I went and requested this book immediately.

And here's the thing, once I started reading...I couldn't stop. It took me 2 days to read Shaken which has to be close to a record for a nonfiction book for me. I was so impressed with Tim's writing, with the words he chose to use, the stories he picked to illustrate his points, even the amount of Scripture he included...pretty much all of it.

I was affected by the humility of this guy who has been in so many unique life situations. He comes off as humble but I'm not sure how much of it comes naturally to him versus how much is a choice and a conscious decision he makes to be so. He mentions frequently that he tries to live his life with intention. He's a firm believer in personal growth, not just physically but mentally and spiritually. He discusses frequently overcoming one's personal feelings in the moment (because those are subject to change with the wind), and make the difficult choices time and time again...to get up and work out, to say no when it's easier to say yes, to choose Christ, to put anger and disappointment on the backburner and CHOOSE differently. He seems like he's got this part figured out (even though I'm sure he still fails at times in this area). He makes the choice to humble himself and turn his attention and focus back to God...in the high moments and in the low.

One thing I really appreciated was that people might easily think that even his lows aren't as low as what some people endure. And no one knows that better than Tim. He has a love for God and a love for others that prompted him to create a charity which puts him in frequent contact with those who are facing life and death or chronic pain. He knows that what he's been through may not compare with that of others. But pain is relative. And what is the most painful experience of my life is still the most painful experience of my life, even if it doesn't compare to the life someone else has lived. Tim uses the stories of others that he's met and come in contact with throughout his journey and his foundation to further illustrate his points. Often times when his aim was to be a blessing and an encouragement to these people, they have ended up being the blessing and encouragement to him.

Those who represent God in this world and claim to be Christians are often being lifted to a higher standard. They're expected to be perfect, above reproach, always "on" so to speak. But they're just people too. Tim is just a human being like we all are. He makes mistakes. Yet in today's society, when public figures make mistakes for the world to see there is very little of forgiveness offered to them. They are publically ridiculed and labeled a hypocrite at the least. But as Tim accurately states, only Jesus has lived as a human and lived perfectly. He is the example. He is the standard. It is to Him that we look, and Him that we aim to imitate. Not Tim Tebow. Not any other celebrity. Not even those who claim to be Christians. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." And what Paul means is that we should imitate him ONLY as he imitates Christ. Sure...imitate Tim in the ways that you see him imitating Christ. But if you see him veer off course, then follow Christ and not Tim. But don't be surprised when humans miss the mark. It's okay to be disappointed in them, but offer them forgiveness knowing that often you miss the mark as well.

I took note of many sections of this book. Sometimes entire pages were worded just perfectly to illustrate the point he was trying to make. I had a hard time narrowing down the sections that I wanted to share with you all, but I feel like these give the best glimpse into this book. Here are my favorite quotes:

-One day, according to the world, I'm on top of my game, adored, praised, and respected. And the next, I'm at the bottom of the heap, cut, criticized, and torn down. You know what I've learned in the process? How important it is not to allow either the highs or the lows in life to determine who you are.

-...I made a conscious choice not to quit. Not to gripe. Not to pout. Not to let others define me. And not to live in disappointment or regret. Believe me when I tell you, I wanted to be angry! And I was tempted to say in that place. But I had to get back to the place of trusting God.

-"God was authoring a bigger picture," Mark told me. "He always gets you to where He wants you to be in spite of yourself."

-..."God fills up so much of my life with good things that I don't miss what I don't have anymore."

-Imagine there is no God. Then you were not created for a reason. You aren't special. You are the accidental, unintentional result of motion, matter, time, and chance. Tim Keller said, "If your origin is insignificant and your destiny is insignificant, which means someday nobody will even remember anything you ever did, have the guts to admit your life is insignificant."

-"No matter the outcome, healed by Him or taken home to live in eternity, we win."

-A lot of what it means to work out your faith muscle is to choose to live above your feelings, to remember that He is God and that you are not.

-Feelings are normal. They can change on a dime. They come. And they go. We need to understand this and learn how to live above them, not by them.

-When we ask questions, when we doubt, when we wonder if God is going to pull through, or wonder why He didn't pull through, or wonder why our miracle is taking so long, or why the miracle never came at all, remember that doubt is normal. God isn't scared of our questions. Bring them to Him. It is better to vent to Him than to run from Him.

-God will come through in some way or other. Sometimes in the form of an answer to prayer, other times in the form of comfort, peace, and perspective far above what's possible in our human strength.

-"God will never waste pain that's offered to Him."

-Often, we make the mistake of comparing God to someone who represents Him, either poorly or wonderfully. Problem is, because we're human, we may mirror God's heart beautifully one day and pretty awfully the next. ...Don't let your relationship with God and your ideas about Him stem from those who represent him.

-I promise you this: God will use your giftings and abilities in His way and for His plan. It might be to influence one person or one million. Rather than focus on trying to figure out or influence how He will make it happen, focus on Him.

- Don't limit what He can do on how you limit yourself. Be yourself, and let God be God.

In young adult fiction, I can't tell you how many times I've read a book that discusses how bad things have happened in the life of the character and because of those bad things the character has determined that God doesn't exist or at least doesn't care about the character. Because I've come across this so frequently in my reading journey, there has to be an audience that connects with these feelings. Either the authors of these books or many readers. Likely both. But here's the problem with these scenarios...bad things happen to all people. Live long enough and chances are that something traumatic is going to happen in your life. What makes any of us think we're special enough to avoid tragedy in this fallen world? If God acts to prevent bad things from happening in your life then what about the millions of people who don't avoid tragedy? Or was there something you did to deserve special treatment? Of course not. We're all dearly loved by God. But we have all also sinned and fallen short. This world is sin-cursed. Time and chance happen to us all. C.S Lewis said, "Life with God is not immunity from difficulties, but peace in difficulties." Tim does a great job discussing situations where doubt in God's ability to save us and His love for us could easily creepy in and devour. Yet the examples he used were full of people who were confident in God's love for them and His plans for their lives--even unto death at times. This isn't an easy thing to come to terms with, I understand. But he does a great job conveying this in just the right way.

Despite my lack of football interest (you totally don't need to be a fan in order to enjoy this book) and my lack of following Tim's career, Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms called to me. My brother (coincidentally also named Tim) recently went through a job situation that could have shaken his faith, but it didn't. Like Tim Tebow, my brother's faith in God having a plan and a path for his life made his situation endurable and even borderline exciting (not that he didn't have to battle a myriad of other emotions throughout the process). I've witnessed situations similar to what Tim discusses in this book, not only with my brother, but also with my cousin who--though she lost her physical battle with cancer--showed strength, grace, and an unwavering faith to anyone she came in contact with. Shaken is a book that I would recommend to anyone who might need a reminder of whose they are.

I read Shaken with a pace that I don't often feel for nonfiction books. I was interested in the overall message as well as the glimpse into the person of Tim Tebow that it gives. I found myself getting teary-eyed in more than one section. And more than anything, I'm impressed with the way that God is using Tim to reveal Himself to the world. I was well on my way to giving Shaken 5 Stars until I came upon the last page or so of the book. While I love the thought of reaching out to those who might be reading this book and find themselves wanting a personal relationship with God (I don't see how they wouldn't), Tim's explanation of how to do so falls short of what I find in my own study of the Bible. Search the Scripture and you will not find "the sinner's prayer" anywhere. You will find example after example in Acts of sinners being converted to Christ. What you see there goes a bit beyond the steps he outlined. I always refer readers back to the Source, the Bible, God's Word, to determine what is truth and from God versus what is from man. (Here's an article that might direct you to some specific Scripture to read.) This small piece of the puzzle had me feeling like a more accurate rating of Shaken for me is 4 Stars. I have no doubt that God is using Tim Tebow and his platform to reveal Himself to many. And this book has made me want to make changes in my own life for the better--specifically in the area of showing love to others--and there's just about no better recommendation that I can give. Have you read Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms? What did you think? Let me know!

*Pardon my frequent first name usage. He references himself as "Timmy" throughout the book so much that it's hard not to feel like I now know the dude on a first name basis.

**I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All thoughts are my own.

The 5 Love Languages of Children - Review

The 5 Love Languages of Children: The Secret to Loving Children Effectively

By: Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell

Published: May 1st 2016 by Northfield Publishing (first published May 28th 1995)

224 pages

Genre: Nonfiction, Parenting, Christian, Self-Help

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--More than 1 million sold! You know you love your child. But how can you show it so they really feel loved? The #1 New York Times bestselling The 5 Love Languages® has helped millions of couples learn the secret to building a love that lasts. Now discover how to speak your child’s love language and make them feel loved in a way they understand. Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell help you:

Discover your child’s love language
Understand the link between successful learning and the love languages
See how the love languages can help you discipline more effectively
Build a foundation of unconditional love for your child

Plus: Find dozens of tips for practical ways to speak your child’s love language. Discover your child's primary language, then speak it, and you will be on your way to a stronger relationship and seeing your child flourish.

For a free online study guide, visit 5lovelanguages.com

My parents introduced me to The Five Love Languages when I was still a teenager. It was instantly intrigued by the idea of five different ways that people show and receive love. So when the opportunity came up to read The Five Love Languages of Children I was excited to pick it up since I've become a mother. The idea of loving my child in the best ways possible was easily something that I wanted to learn more about.

It has been at least ten years since I read The Five Love Languages; however, I didn't find The Five Love Languages of Children to be too terribly different. The love languages (Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Gifts) are the same. From what I could tell, the examples surrounded the love languages were obviously geared toward parents and children. Also, there were sections devoted to parenting philosophy and the nature of children whereas the original book focused more on the spouse and romantic love relationships. But overall, I feel like you could probably get away with reading one of these books and applying the concepts to both sets of relationships (or any relationship really).

That being said, I still really enjoyed The Five Love Languages of Children and I read it quite quickly given the amount of time I have to read these days. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell had plenty of good and wise things to say about raising children and I highlighted up a storm.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

-Speaking your child's primary love language does not mean he or she will not rebel later. It does mean your child will know you love him, and that can bring him security and hope...

-Unconditional love is a full love that accepts and affirms a child for who he is, not for what he does.

-Your children will sense how you feel about them by how you behave toward them.

-Affection and love mean expressing appreciation for the very being of a child, for those characteristics and abilities that are part of the total package of the person. In contrast, we express praise for what the child does, either in achievements or behavior or conscious attitudes.

-...much childhood misbehavior is an attempt to get more time with Mom or Dad.

-Don't let your demonstration of love to a child be controlled by whether the child is pleasing you at the moment.

-Your children need to see in you the traits you want them to develop.

-Discipline comes from a Greek word that means "to train." Discipline involves the long and vigilant task of guiding a child from infancy to adulthood. The goal is that the child would reach a level of maturity that will allow him one day to function as a responsible adult in society.

-Love looks out for the interest of another; so does discipline.

-Practice unconditional love; then discipline.

-Raising children always requires more time than you expected.

Personally, I really enjoyed the section dedicated to discipline. The authors address that discipline and punishment aren't synonymous. While I without a doubt knew that both of my parents loved me I definitely grew up in a household where punishment was the main form of discipline. It wasn't always about training me in the direction that I needed to go so much as punishing me for the not going the direction I should. Or it felt that way at the time. Anyway, I won't go into all of that here, but I enjoyed the authors spending time on this subject and really enforcing that a child should be loved and feel loved unconditionally no matter how unappealing their behavior might be.

The Five Love Languages of Children gets 4 Stars from me. It's an information packed book with easy concepts to implement into your daily life in hopes that your children will feel more loved. I do think that this is a book that you might continually need to come back to and re-read for a refresher every once and a while. Have you read The Five Love Languages of Children? What did you think? Let me know!

A Comparison Review - The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding & Babywise

On Becoming Babywise

By: Gary Ezzo & Robert Bucknam

Published: September 28th 2006 by Hawksflight & Assoc Inc (first published February 1993)

252 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Parenting, Self-Help

Source: Personal Kindle Library

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Goodreads description--The infant management concepts presented in this book have found favor with over two million parents and twice as many contented babies. On Becoming Babywise brings hope to the tired and bewildered parents looking for an alternative to sleepless nights and fussy babies. The Babywise Parent Directed Feeding concept has enough structure to bring security and order to your baby's world, yet enough flexibility to give mom freedom to respond to any need at any time. It teaches parents how to lovingly guide their baby's day rather than be guided or enslaved to the infant's unknown needs.

The information contained within On Becoming Babywise is loaded with success. Comprehensive breast-feeding follow-up surveys spanning three countries, of mothers using the PDF method verify that as a result of the PDF concepts, 88% breast-feed, compared to the national average of only 54% (from the National Center for Health Statistics). Of these breast-feeding mothers, 80% of them breast-feed exclusively without a formula complement. And while 70% of our mothers are still breast-feeding after six months, the national average encourage to follow demand feeding without any guidelines is only 20%. The mean average time of breast-feeding for PDF moms is 33 1/2 weeks, well above the national average. Over 50% of PDF mothers extend their breast-feeding toward and well into the first year. Added to these statistics is another critical factor. The average breast-fed PDF baby sleeps continuously through night seven to eight hours between weeks seven and nine. Healthy sleep in infants is analogous to healthy growth and development. Find out for yourself why a world of parents and pediatricians utilize the concepts found in On Becoming Babywise.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

By: La Leche League International

Published: July 13th 2010 by Ballantine Books (first published September 1958)

576 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Parenting, Self-Help

Source: Personal Kindle Library

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Goodreads description--The long-awaited revised edition!

It’s no secret that breastfeeding is the normal, healthy way to nourish and nurture your baby. Dedicated to supporting nursing and expectant mothers, the internationally respected La Leche League has set the standard for educating and empowering mothers in this natural art for generations. Now their classic bestselling guide has been retooled, refocused, and updated for today’s mothers and lifestyles. Working mothers, stay-at-home moms, single moms, and mothers of multiples will all benefit from the book’s range of nursing advice, stories, and information—from preparing for breastfeeding during pregnancy to feeding cues, from nursing positions to expressing and storing breast milk. With all-new photos and illustrations, this ultimate support bible offers

real-mom wisdom on breastfeeding comfortably—from avoiding sore nipples to simply enjoying the amazing bonding experience

new insights into old approaches toward latching and attaching, ages and stages, and answers to the most-asked questions

strategies for moms who choose to breastfeed for a short time or who plan to nurse for a year or more

reassuring information on nursing after a C-section or delivery complications

recent scientific data that highlight the many lifelong health benefits of breastfeeding

helpful tips for building your support network—at home or when back at work

nursing special-needs infants, premies, multiples, and how to thrive no matter what curveball life throws

guidance on breast health issues, weight gain, day care, colic, postpartum depression, food allergies, and medications

Plus—Internet references for further information, including La Leche League support sites and groups.

Mothers bringing babies into a new world want sustainable, healthy, positive ways to help their children blossom and thrive. There is no better beginning for your baby than the womanly art of breastfeeding.

I've never done a review/post like this before. I was intending to read both of these books and review them separately. But as I was reading them at the same time, I just couldn't figure out how to review them comprehensively without continually referencing the other. They overlap so much. So this review/compare and contrast will include a good bit of my personal motherhood story as well as a review of both books and a comparison and contrasting of the parenting philosophies of both books. This will be more lengthy than normal. Sorry, but I hope you stick with me here.

Also, let me say up front that parenting is an extremely personal experience full of difficult decisions that often don't have right or wrong answers. We often see "mom shaming" because as mothers we all (for the most part) are seeking the best things for our children. But the trouble is that we often disagree on what's best. It is not my intention to imply that any parenting philosophy discussed in this review is better than any other but to only state what philosophies work for me and my family and what doesn't.

I remember asking a cousin when we were both pregnant (her about 30 weeks and me about 18) if she'd read any books on pregnancy/parenting etc. She said the only one she'd read was Babywise because it had been highly recommended to her by a couple of her friends. For some reason the idea of reading about pregnancy and parenting was difficult for me while pregnant. My doctor's office had given me a book to read about pregnancy and I was having a hard enough time getting through that one. So birth came. Baby was born. And boy was I not prepared for the sleepless nights that came with a newborn. I mean you can't really prepare for that. But I feel like I was really unprepared for this aspect of parenting. I knew that I would love my baby--I already did while pregnant. I figured breastfeeding would come natural (it didn't) and sleep training was really the last thing on my mind. At our 2 week visit to the pediatrician, he recommended that I stick to an "aggressive 3 hour feeding schedule" during the day to hopefully get myself 3 or 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night. So I started that and I also started nursing in the dark in the bedroom when Baby Girl would wake up in the middle of the night to feed. And by week 3, she did start sleeping 3 or 4 hours at night. I realized that she was just as overtired as I was. And an overtired baby is harder to get to sleep than one that's sleeping well.

Unfortunately, getting her to nap was so difficult because as soon as I laid her down she'd pop right back awake. In order to get her some much needed rest and rest myself, I held her during naps in the recliner where I could nap too. This was great for catching up on some sleep for both of us, but unfortunately it created a horrible habit that we've yet to break (at the time of writing this review). (Update: Baby Girl is both napping during the day and sleeping through the night in her crib at 4 months old.)

Another really important piece of my mothering a newborn story involves breastfeeding. Every single source for breastfeeding information (lactation consultant, websites, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and other breastfeeding mothers) advised me from the very beginning of my breastfeeding journey to "feed on demand". This means that if your baby shows any signs of hunger (rooting, sucking on their hands, or really a desire to suck period, turning their heads from side to side, etc) then this meant that you needed to nurse. And nursing on demand was said to be the only way to maintain an adequate milk supply. Well the first night in the hospital after my little one was born, she wanted to nurse for an entire hour. After we got home, she would have spouts of nursing for 10 minutes, falling asleep, and then waking up in an hour screaming to eat again. Or if I got up from nursing, she would wake up and protest. It seemed that my baby wanted to nurse ALL THE TIME. But don't offer a pacifier the experts say, because this might cause "nipple confusion" which can cause baby to reject the breast. After one particularly rough night where baby nursed so much that she projectile vomited what her little stomach couldn't hold, I knew that "nursing on demand" was not for me. And if that was the only way to maintain my breastfeeding journey with my little one, then surely we wouldn't make it.

Again, the same appointment with our pediatrician that I mentioned above saved my breastfeeding experience. With the same advice to do an "aggressive 3 hour feeding schedule" in order to promote longer sleep stretches at night, he also suggested only nursing 15 minutes on each side for a total of 30 minutes. He told me that nursing for an hour at a time was not necessary. And thank God he did. I had already been struggling with the idea of maintaining breastfeeding, but if my little one needed to eat every hour for an hour at a time...well that's just not something that you can keep up. (It should be said that not only had Baby Girl regained back to her birth weight by this appointment, but she had also exceeded her birth weight. I do advise nursing on demand until Baby regains his/her birth weight.)

While visiting with one of husband's friends from high school who has a baby 2 months older than Baby Girl, she asked me if I always wanted to put Baby Girl on a schedule and I shared with her my story about my visit to our pediatrician. She gave me a look that I wasn't quite sure how to interpret and suggested that I read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

I purchased The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding shortly after that visit. Feeding frequency wasn't my only breastfeeding issue, so I hoped the book would be a great source for troubleshooting for me. I will say that up front the authors tell you to take what advice you can from them, and disregard what you don't agree with. They tell you that not everything they discuss will be in alignment with your own thoughts. And almost immediately I realized this to be true for me. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding promotes several ideas that I knew up front that I didn't agree with. For example, co-sleeping, nursing past two years old, and nursing on demand.

I've already said why nursing on demand wasn't for me. Aside from the mental fatigue associated with nursing constantly, I ended up dealing with an oversupply issue. You see, breastfeeding is a supply and demand thing. The more you nurse (demand) the more supply you end up with. And oversupply has issues that are unique but just as challenging as a low supply. (Truthfully, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding almost acts like low supply is the worst and most likely problem a woman can be face with in the breastfeeding journey.) One of the biggest reasons why The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding suggests co-sleeping is so that baby has constant access to nurse during the night. The book even goes so far as to encourage night waking. Every person that I know that allowed their children to co-sleep ended up doing so a really long time. And personally, I would like for my bed to remain a zone for my husband and I only. This isn't a judgment on those who decide to co-sleep. It's just what we've decided is right for us.

At this point, I'm celebrating how far we've come in our breastfeeding journey already. I have no idea how long we'll make it. I have a rough goal of making it to one year, but I will consider anything between six months to a year as a success. But the idea of nursing a two year old is just not something that I've ever entertained. Again, this is not a judgment on those moms who do choose to nurse past a year old. I'm just pointing out that this was another aspect The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding promoted that I knew wasn't for me.

Back to my story, I reached out to a Mommy Support group that I'm a member of on Facebook out of curiosity to see how long other babies slept at 3 months of age, and Babywise was again recommended to me. So I purchased it immediately and finished reading it in like three days--which is a record for a non-fiction book for me I think.

Almost immediately, I began regretting my decision to put off reading Babywise when my cousin originally mentioned it to me. I've learned that I was very unprepared for breastfeeding or for handling a newborn's sleep schedule. And Babywise offers up some great advice that is fairly easy to implement. Babywise fell in line with what I was already doing--enforcing an eat, wake, sleep cycle and sticking to a 3-hour feeding schedule unless Baby Girl showed signs that she truly was hungry and not just wanting to suck for comfort. (Babywise supports a combination of scheduled feedings and feeding on demand when true signs of hunger are shown before time for the next scheduled feeding.)

I was reassured to find that my parenting methods were actually naturally similar to the Babywise strategy. Of my own accord, I'd learned how to merge my baby's feedings from 9 feedings a day to 8 and from 8 to 7 and Baby Girl was already sleeping between 4 and 6 hours a night regularly. But according to the Babywise method, we were slightly behind where we should be (6 feedings a day with 1 dream feeding and 8 hours of sleep a night). I didn't stress about that too much. But Babywise did give me some ideas on how to adjust our schedules moving forward. (Update: I will say that even still, we do not follow the Babywise advised schedule exactly.)

Babywise also reinforced what I already knew--that holding Baby Girl while she naps is not healthy for her or me. I had become a sleep prop for her, and she needed to learn not only how to sleep without me, but also how to go to sleep without being rocked or bounced. Gary Ezzo, co-author and creator of the Babywise strategy, was a father of triplets. He and his wife quickly learned that there is no rocking three babies to sleep at each nap and bedtime. If their babies could survive and thrive without rocking to sleep, so can mine. With renewed determination, I determined to get Baby Girl to nap in her crib with minimal help from me to get to sleep. She already slept pretty good through the night in a cradle beside our bed. Granted, getting her to sleep initially has always been a struggle, but we'd already worked her up to the point of sleeping by herself for the longest stretches of time. So I knew she was capable of it and capable of soothing herself back to sleep if she woke up. I'd just not been enforcing this behavior during the day for naps. Babywise gave me the inspiration, motivation, and confidence to tackle this feat. I will say that I wish there were a few more specific tools explored on how to correct these sleep prop problems. I ended up implementing a strategy of laying Baby Girl down for her nap awake but when I knew she was getting tired/drowsy. If she cried, I waited 2 minutes and then returned to her room to comfort her by patting or rubbing her stomach or head or holding her hand. After calming her, I would leave her room again. If she cried again, I waited 5 minutes and then returned to comfort her and left again. If she cried a third time, I waited 7 minutes (where originally advised to wait 10 minutes) and returned again. I didn't have to go more than 7 minutes with Baby Girl crying. This 2, 5, 7/10 idea didn't originate with me, but it was something I'd seen in the Mommy Support group that I mentioned earlier.

Don't be confused though, Babywise doesn't just cover sleeping and feeding tips. I loved how the very first chapter was spent covering the importance of the parental marriage relationship. I was so impressed as this isn't the direction that most books take. I know that not all parents are married and they address that as well. But this was such a pro for me.

At the same time, I can't say that I 100% agree or support everything that Babywise says. You can tell that maybe some information is either slightly out of date or misinformation, especially when it comes to breastfeeding. Things that specifically come to mind is when "shaking" breast milk to mix the foremilk and hindmilk when preparing a bottle. Breast milk should not be shaken as doing so begins to break it down. There were a few other small things like this, but that's where I'm glad that I've read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

While I don't agree with co-sleeping, toddler nursing, or "feeding on demand", The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is filled with information about breastfeeding that can be invaluable. While all of the information is available online should you need to search for a specific topic or question you might have, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is a great source to give you all the information you might need prior to breastfeeding or even early in your breastfeeding journey. And beyond really as the book has tips for feeding each age range. I'm so glad that I read it and I took away a lot of useful information even if there were aspects that I didn't agree with.

Where I was impressed with Babywise's mention of the marriage relationship which is in-line with my Christian beliefs, I felt the opposite with The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. TWAoB had a more politically correct feeling by alluding to the many different shapes of the family unit these days and also referencing "nature's design" rather than God's. This wasn't a big deal as I don't expect all books to support my beliefs, but it was something I noted. Obviously some readers will love this and others will not. As The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is a book that has been around in some form or other since 1958 yet has been constantly revised and updated, I'd be interested to know what stance previous versions of this book took on "nature" or "design".

I will say that reading the kindle edition of both of these books was great because I could read while I nursed and only had to use one hand to flip pages while my other hand was holding baby. However, the kindle editions for both of these books do not make for easy "quick references" for finding a specific topic or section of the book you might want to reference or re-read. Either the kindle edition or a physical copy would work. Both have pros and cons.

In the end, I found myself almost completely in line with Babywise when it comes to my parenting philosophies as opposed to The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. Neither one is wrong, but Babywise fit me better. They both cover breastfeeding and sleeping topics and more. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding has more information surrounding breastfeeding problems, troubleshooting, and solutions. While Babywise focused more on organizing your baby's day. What I found was that if I read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding for advice on breastfeeding troubleshooting and how-tos then I came away with a lot of positive information. And when I read Babywise for information on parenting philosophy and organizing my child's day, I receivved a lot of positive information. When I got pregnant my mother gave me a piece of advice that her mother had given her. She said, "When you're pregnant everyone wants to give you advice. Some of it you'll agree with and some of it you won't. Take what you think you can use and throw out the rest."

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding gets 4 Stars from me. It's a great breastfeeding resource, but don't think you have to take every piece of advice in that book. And Babywise gets 4.5 Stars from me. When you're sleep deprived and looking for any way to get your child to sleep longer this book is a wealth of information. I highly recommend reading them both (if you choose to breastfeed, and just Babywise if you choose to formula feed) BEFORE you give birth. Have you read Babywise or The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

The Praying Woman's Devotional - Review

The Praying Woman's Devotional: Let God's Word Change Your Life

By: Stormie Omartian

Published: February 1st 2015 by Harvest House Publishers

208 pages

Genre: Religious, Christian, Spirituality, Self-Help

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

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Goodreads description--"Lord, Your Word tells of the magnificent and miraculous things You have done for people, and I know You are the same today and in the future as You were in the past. I pray You will do miraculous things in response to my prayers as well." --Stormie Omartian What inspires your personal encounters with God? Those moments when you tell Him about your needs and thank Him for all He has done for you. Those times when you praise Him for His greatness and awesome goodness. Does Scripture inspire your prayers? This collection of devotions will give you short reflections on Bible passages that will remind you of all the magnificent and miraculous things God has done. And it will help you see what God not only can do in your life, but what He can do in the world around you in response to your faith-filled prayers.

I've read and loved so many of Stormie Omartian's books. The Power of a Praying Woman is one of my all-time favorite books that has helped my spiritual relationship with God. So when I saw The Praying Woman's Devotional for review, I knew I had to jump on it. The problem is that I tend to read these kinds of books very slowly, so I'm really late getting this book read and reviewed. My bad.

I'm not sure that I have too terribly much to say about The Praying Woman's Devotional. I enjoyed it. It's packed full of short daily messages and prayers that fit a myriad of situations we women face in our lives. I didn't connect as deeply on an emotional level with this devotional as I did with The Power of a Praying Woman, but I believe that to be due to the short nature of each topic and prayer. The Power of a Praying Woman goes further into each subject than The Praying Woman's Devotional. However, The Praying Woman's Devotional is perfect for the woman who wants to quickly focus her day on a specific topic.

Like the other Stormie Omartian books I've read, there is much that I could quote here. My favorite quotes:

-Only God can cause love to grow in your heart where there is none. Only God can bring to life love that has died.

-One of the most important things about being in a spiritual family is finding power in prayer through unity. When believers are in unity, there is a dynamic that adds power to our prayers and the confidence that God will answer in power.

-When we pray, we reassert our faith that God keeps His promises. What we said out loud, or silently in our hearts, proclaims the truth of God's promises that we have read or heard in His Word.

-If we don't take control of our minds, the devil will.

-Help me to never be full of myself, but rather to always be freshly filled with more of You each day.

-As the people's holiness went, so went the state of the nation.

-We need to praise Jesus that He is our healer whether we are healed at that moment or not.

-I have found that no matter how bad I feel, when I praise God I always feel better.

-How often do we plead for God's direction and, not liking what we hear, decide to go our own way?

As always, I don't agree with 100% of what is stated within this book when it comes to what is required for salvation.Go to the Bible for more information about that. But regardless, this book holds a lot of great material for daily focusing of our thoughts. While I guess I prefer books that dive a little deeper on each topic, The Praying Woman's Devotional is a great choice for short, focused topics.The Praying Woman's Devotional gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read The Praying Woman's Devotional? What did you think? Let me know!

The Power of a Praying Husband - Review

The Power of a Praying Husband

By: Stormie Omartian

Published: April 1st 2014 by Harvest House Publishers (first published July 28th 2001)

272 pages

Genre: Religious, Christian, Spirituality, Self-Help

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!!), Husband owns an earlier version

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Goodreads description--Stormie Omartian's bestselling The Power of a Praying series (more than 23 million copies sold) is rereleased with fresh new covers and new material to reach a still-growing market of readers eager to discover the power of prayer for their lives.

In this deluxe edition of The Power of a Praying Husband, beautifully bound with a padded cover, Stormie helps you pray even more effectively for your wife. By sharing stories and examples from her own marriage, she shares how you can intercede for your wife in areas where she longs for your prayers, especially in her priorities emotions motherhood fears sexuality.

With comments from well-known Christian men and a foreword by Stormie's husband, multi-Grammy winning music producer Michael Omartian, this is the perfect gift for any man wanting to develop the discipline of prayer.

I think just about any woman who makes it through The Power of a Praying Wife will find herself curious about The Power of a Praying Husband. Just what does Stormie Omartian tell my husband to pray for me about? At least that’s how it was for me. I read and loved The Power of a Praying Wife and many of Stormie Omartian’s other books. I love the topic-focused prayer approached that Mrs. Omartian takes in her books. Each one has brought some new “treasure” or “gold nugget” (as my dad would say) for me and my prayer life.

That being said, I do have to admit that The Power of a Praying Husband has been the book I’ve connected with the least out of all the others I’ve read—minus The Power of a Praying Church. I feel like this is because this book isn’t directed towards me as I’m not a husband. I can definitely see that if my husband were praying the prayers for me that Mrs. Omartian outlines and if he were covering all of the aspects of my life that she focuses on I would feel the deep impacts of those prayers as would he. I tried to approach the book as another stepping stone towards growing myself individually and I did to an extent, but I kept getting pulled out of this book because of the book being address to husbands. I almost feel like it’s unfair for me to even rate the book given this, but I still know that The Power of a Praying Husband could be an extremely effective teaching tool and useful for husbands everywhere to dive deeper in their prayer lives, specifically in relation to covering their wives and marriages in prayer.

I don’t have much else to say about The Power of a Praying Husband. There were parts I was “amening” in regards to the picture of a typical woman that Mrs. Omartian paints. I did notice the increased sports metaphors in this book geared at helping men think and understand in their own terms. Yet my husband isn’t a sports fan—like at all—so I don’t think he’d relate much to those metaphors. However, so many other men out there probably will.

Some of my favorite quotes:

-Without prayer, the success of our marriages depend on our own wisdom and effort.

-“It’s not a matter of who needs to change; it’s a matter of who is willing to change.”

-Whatever you don’t pray about in your life you leave up to chance.

-Our flesh takes over when we decide to be self-centered instead of self-sacrificing.

-If God has asked you to pray for your enemies, how much more does He want you to pray for the person you are supposed to love and with whom you have become one?

I didn’t spend much focused time on the study guide portion of the book because this was again not focused toward me as a woman, but based on a skim it looks like a good tool to utilize. As always, there are some differences in my beliefs and Mrs. Omartian’s. I say this every single time, but search the Scripture for all the answers. Anything you need to know can be found there.

All in all, The Power of a Praying Husband was a good read from the perspective of a wife. I’d give this one 3.5 Stars. Have you read The Power of a Praying Husband? What did you think? Let me know!

The Power of a Prayer to Change Your Marriage
The Power of a Praying Church
The Power of a Praying Kid
The Power of a Praying Parent
The Power of a Praying Wife
The Power of a Praying Woman

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual - Review

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro

By: Bobbi Brown, Debra Bergsma, & Sally Wadyka

Published: December 1st 2008 by Grand Central Life & Style

232 pages

Genre: Non-fiction, Self-Help, How-To

Source: Personal Library (Christmas gift from my SNL, Tonya & family)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate link. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--This is the book that Bobbi Brown's fans have been waiting for: her 25-plus years of makeup styling experience distilled into one complete, gorgeous book. Bobbi looks at everything from skincare basics to every aspect of facial makeup--from how to find the right color and type of foundation for any skin tone to how to apply every detail of eye makeup (Brows, Eye Liner, Eye Shadow, and Eye Lashes) no matter your eye color and shape. Of course there are never-before-seen tips on blush, bronzer, lip liners, lipstick, etc. And Bobbi looks beyond the face with informative chapters on "Hands and Feet" and "Body Skin Care." Each chapter has thorough step-by-step basic directions for makeup application and easy-to-follow photographs and line drawings, along with Bobbi's expert, yet assuring, advice. Plus, there's a groundbreaking section of the book that will be of special interest to women who've wanted to know how makeup stylists do what they do: the top beauty secrets only these artists know, essential equipment to keep on hand, how to break into the business, and how to work with photographers and celebrities.

Breathtaking photos of the finished faces-from everyday looks to exotic runway style-along with advice on putting it all together for every woman, make this a book like no other.

BOBBI BROWN'S MAKEUP MANUAL will be the only book any woman will need to look absolutely fabulous.

I’ve increasingly become interested in makeup. In high school, I was more of a tomboy. Really insecure with my body image, I was more about hiding myself than enhancing myself. But after starting to workout several years ago and finally getting to a weight that I was happy and content with, I finally found a love for myself, my body, and enjoyed dressing myself up clothing wise and makeup. My aunt taught me how to apply my makeup at the age of thirteen—when my parents finally allowed me to start wearing it. But my everyday look consisted of foundation, two eye shadows—an all over the lid skin tone color and a neutral brown—and brown mascara (because I wanted to be different and not wear black like everyone else).

Lately I’ve really enjoyed watching YouTubers: The Small Things Blog; EssieButton; Jaclyn Hill; and Nicole Guerriero. These girls have taught me so much. And since watching them I’ve learned a lot about the proper way to apply makeup. EssieButton is actually the one who recommended the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual in her Bobbie Brown Brand Focus video. I didn’t even know there were books that provided step by step instructions on how to apply makeup. Why I didn’t know this considering I’m a book blogger and all I have no idea…but now I do.

In a lot of ways, I didn’t think that the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual taught me too much that I didn’t already know. But I did have to stop and think about how much I’ve learned over the last year from watching the YouTubers that I mentioned. Had I not been watching these guys for the past year, I probably would have learned a lot more from this book. And truthfully, I did learn a good bit.

As the description says, this book does include a wide variety of information ranging from skin care, to how to pick the right shades, to how to conceal blemishes correctly, to how makeup application should vary depending upon the need, and to essentially building a career out of makeup artistry. I don’t ever see myself becoming a makeup artist, while I think that might be a fun and rewarding career, I have no desire to follow that path. So in that aspect, I read the chapters regarding that career path, but mostly skimmed them.

I almost feel like this book is designed for one of two types of people—the very beginner or the hopeful pro. The basics are given that would be extremely helpful to someone with very limited knowledge of makeup application. This might be the perfect gift for a thirteen year old girl just beginning to experiment with makeup. But I think this book could also be invaluable for the person who would seek to make a career out of being a markup artist. The advice for building a career from a leading industry professional cannot be measured. The average person who knows the basics but doesn’t want to make a career out of makeup might not glean as much information as they would hope.

I feel like my rating of this book could be entirely different if my circumstances were different. Since I am neither an extreme beginner nor desiring to make a career out of makeup, I find myself giving the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual 3.5 stars. I will say that this was a quick read for me. While I didn’t read it straight through in one sitting or anything like that, I would look up and notice I’d read 20% in what seemed like no time at all. Have you read the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro? What did you think? Let me know!