Some Good Things: July 2019

Today I'm introducing Some Good Things - a curated list of things learned and found throughout the course of the previous month that just might bless you on your journey as well. Take a gander at some of the things below and let me know what you've learned or found this month!

Books

Bread and Wine

This book has been on my to-read list for years, so when I found a copy at my local thrift store, I finally bought it! Shauna has such a beautiful style of writing, and this book centers around the idea of loving people by welcoming them to our table. 

How to Win Friends & Influence People

I'm only a quarter of the way into this book, but I can already see why it is a classic. If you're looking for a book to help you as you navigate relationships with people, this book is a helpful primer. 
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Movies + TV

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Brandon and I are big fans of Marvel movies, and we were eager to see this next installment and it did not disappoint. I laughed and cried! Whether or not you're a Marvel fan, this is a well made blockbuster. 
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Music

Testify by Jervis Campbell

This song was recommended on my Spotify weekly playlist, and I can't stop listening to it. 

Come, Lord Jesus by Sovereign Grace

I heard Brandon singing this song while in the shower one morning, and I've since had it on repeat as well. 
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Articles

How to Improve Your Sales Skills, Even If You're Not a Salesperson

Another great piece on handling interactions with people. Definitely for all people - not just salespeople. 

The Apostles Never "Shared" The Gospel, And Neither Should We

I've been thinking about this article A LOT since reading it, and it's really helping to reframe how I think about talking with other people about Jesus. Some great nuggets and thoughts. 

Deconstructing Fundamentalism (Without Rejecting Jesus)

With the announcements from several prominent Christians leaders about leaving the faith, I found this article helpful in thinking through what this means for me as a Christian and for others who are either walking away or those that are affected by their role models walking away. 
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What I'm Learning

Life is Lived in Seasons

I've often thought of changes in my life as forever changes, and this mentality has either kept me from actually making changes or being sad when things come to an end. Something I realized this month is that life is lived in seasons and that's okay. 

I starting thinking about this more while creating my schedule for the summer. While initially brainstorming my summer daily schedule, I felt overwhelmed making choices because mentally I thought "Is this sustainable for every day for the rest of my life?". But the reality is that the schedule change is not for the rest of my life, just for the summer. When I reminded myself, "It's just for this season," it was so much easier to make choices and stick to the daily schedule I planned because I was free to change it in the future, and I was also free to keep it for a season. 

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to realize this about life, but it has been a helpful lesson. It even made me think about the first two years Brandon and I were married. We use to regularly have a date lunch on Fridays. We would go out to lunch somewhere and then go to a nearby coffee place and play a board game together before going to campus at night. It was a sweet tradition for that season of life, but we don't do that anymore with Brandon having a different work schedule from me. But it was just for a season. 

Such is life. We can make routines and schedules and traditions, but we have to hold them with open hands as seasons of life change. In fact, I think the fact that seasons change actually helps us to create good rhythms in the present because we know that we won't and can't be tied to them forever, so we have to figure out what works best for us in the season we're actually in. 

I'm still fleshing this thought out more in my own life, but I wondered if others have learned this similar thing? If so, let me know!

Otherwise, that's it for this month's Some Good Things list. 

​(P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that if you click on them and purchase a product, this blog will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for helping to support She Laughs Without Fear!)