 As a married woman, I know that some decisions have the power to change everything about our lives. When I married my husband Brandon, my life changed dramatically. My name changed. My address changed. My priorities changed, and my heart changed. My seemingly independent living as a single adult gave way to a new reality as two people became one in marriage. While there were hard things with the initial change, it is a change that is a blessing in more ways that one. Marriage changed a lot about my life, but it did not change everything the way that following Jesus changed everything.
The gospel of Jesus Christ radically changes and transforms every area of our lives: relationships, time, church, and spiritual growth. Jaquelle Crowe discusses this in detail in the book This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years. Written by a teenager for teenagers, Jaquelle offers a helpful perspective for teenagers on following Jesus in a world where the gospel is anything but trendy and "lit". While this book is written for specifically for teenagers, the content is for readers of all ages. Jaquelle's main point in writing this book is that if we are truly followers of Jesus Christ, then the gospel (the good news of Jesus Christ) should transform and change everything about our lives. Following Jesus should not be something just reserved for Sunday, but something that impacts every area and facet of our lives. In this, Jaquelle reminds her readers of the gospel and calls them to live a life shaped by the gospel. With each chapter, she explores an area of life that the gospel affects, how it has applied to her life, and what it might look like for the gospel to impact that same area of our lives. If there is a teenager in your life looking for encouragement as he or she walks with Jesus in an ever changing culture, I would highly recommend this book to them. If you're looking for a book to be reminded of the gospel and the ways that it impacts your life, this might be a book for you as well. I would even recommend giving this book away to new Christians. My hope in sharing this book title with you is that it might equip you on the journey. If you're interested in other recommended reads, there is a book review archive for this purpose (book archive). I hope it blesses you. (I received a free copy of This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years in exchange for an honest review from Crossway Books)
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 2017 was a year filled with excellent books, and I would be remiss if I didn't share some of these amazing titles with all of you. Books titles are one of my favorite things to share. One of my goals for 2017 was to read 36 books. Well, I ended up reading 24, which isn't too bad. I thought I would share the ten best books out of the bunch to recommend to all of you.  Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson Why I Loved It: Hannah Anderson has a way of taking biblical principles and helping to draw them out in everyday moments and events. The main focus of this book is how humility gives us a firm foundation and actually helps us to flourish. What Hannah fleshes out is that anxiety and stress in our lives is a result of pride, and humility before the Lord helps us find peace in the midst of those struggles.  12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke Why I Loved It: This book challenged and impacted me in a number of ways. I will never look at my phone the same way ever again as a result of the observations that Tony Reinke shares in this book. It's amazing to think how much our phones affect us and how little we care or pay mind to it. Tony Reinke calls us to prayerful reflection about our phones and their control and pervasiveness over our lives.  You Are Free: Be Who You Already Are by Rebekah Lyons Why I Loved It: A thoughtful memoir by Rebekah Lyons as she walks in freedom in Christ in the wake of anxiety and depression. I didn't know I needed to hear this message until reading this book. There are some books that encourage you simply by a person sharing their personal journey and finding freedom in the midst of it. This is one of those books.  Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard by Jennie Allen Why I Loved it: I appreciate Jennie Allen's down-to-earth writing and her way of taking deep theological truths and helping ordinary, everyday women understand them. After a year of studying the gospel of John, Jennie Allen shares the insights she gained from observing Jesus' ministry and being reminded that because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we have nothing to prove and can stop trying so hard to earn our salvation or prove ourselves to others.  Refresh: Embracing a Grace-Paced Life in a World of Endless Demands by Shona and David Murray Why I Loved It: This book was like an ice cold glass of water in the middle of the summer sun. Immensely practical and encouraging, Shona shares her journey of fighting for rest in the grace of God in the midst of a world that makes a lot of demands upon us. I did not expect for her to give so many practical ways to embrace a grace-paced life, but I am immensely thankful for her gospel-focused insights.  Zeal without Burnout by Christopher Ash Why I Loved It: At this point you might be sensing a theme. I've read a lot of books about rest, resting in the Lord, and freedom from sin and anxiety. Well this book was the cherry on top. Short and sweet, Ash gives seven keys to a life-long sustainable ministry. This book is for more than pastors and full-time missionaries. I would recommend this book those that serves in the church in any capacity. We all need to be reminded that while we can work hard for the gospel, we need to rest in God's grace and not our own efforts.  Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice Why I Loved It: This is an area where I am continually learning to grow. It is not easy or natural for me to talk about Jesus with random strangers or even with close friends that are not Christians. I often fall into the fear of man, and need to be reminded to choose love over fear and talk about Jesus even when it's tough. This book was practical, encouraging, and it made evangelism less fearful and more exciting and fun.  The Circle Series by Ted Dekker Why I Loved It: This is my husband's favorite book series, and I've owned a copy since we became friends my freshman year of college, but didn't read it until this year. I'm sad I didn't read it sooner. It is a fiction series, but tells the story of the gospel in lieu of an alternate universe. I laughed. I cried. I desperately didn't want it to end.  The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines Why I Loved It: I'll be honest. I'm a big fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines. I appreciate their business model and the ways that they model working together as a married couple. I don't know what I expected from this book, but I appreciated them sharing how God was the one that wrote their story and opened up the doors for their business, Magnolia, which led to the TV show Fixer Upper. They started from almost nothing, and now they use the something that they have have given to bless others and their community.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey Why I Loved It: This book is different from the others on this list. This is an organizational book, but boy does Stephen Covey give a lot of helpful insights and lessons about personal growth and being effective. His habits are different from what most might think, but helpful in that they truly are effective. I've found them helpful since first reading this book. Reading is a discipline that many do not take the time to enjoy, but I hope sharing these titles encourages you to pick up one and enjoy the good gift of a good book. As you make your list of books to read for 2018, I would highly recommend reading these ten. I've already started working on my list for 2018, and can't wait to share with you the books that I read over the course of this year. What books are on your list for 2018?  The links to the books above are affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing a book or other products She Laughs Without Fear receives a small commission. When you buy books, you allow me to buy more books for review. Thanks for helping to fund my reading habit and supporting She Laughs Without Fear at no additional cost to you!
 Reading has fallen on hard times. Between the computer and the smartphone, people do not read as much as they once did. Or rather people don't read books or longer works as much as they once did. Despite the statistics, there are still people that make time for reading. I've had a number of friends ask me over the years how I find time to read so many books. On any given year I read an average of 15-30 books, and I often share about books that I've read here and via social media. I love sharing book recommendations and talking about books with others, which is why I often get asked about how I find time to read and how I can read as much as I do. To answer simply: reading is a discipline that I find valuable and enriching. Therefore, I prioritize time for it. We make time for things that we think are important. Take exercise for example. We carve out time for it in our days and try to keep a regime and routine. We feel guilty when we don't keep up with it. We feel more energized and less stressed when we do keep up with it. Just like exercise takes discipline, reading takes discipline as well. The way most people feel about exercise is how I feel about reading. (In fact, sometimes I do both at the same time. Hello treadmill!) Reading is something that I find to be valuable and important. Therefore, I make time for it. Just like 15 minutes of exercise is better than no exercise, 15 minutes of reading is better than not reading at all, which is why I aim to read at least 15 minutes or roughly 1 chapter of a book a day. I find that reading a chapter a day motivates me to read and depending on the book length, I can read a book in a week or every two weeks. Another thing that helps is reading multiple books at one time. I have a friend that reads one book that is a leisure read, one book that is spiritual growth related, and one that is job training related. I have since adopted this friend's method. Reading multiple books at one time creates variety and gives us different things to read at different points in the day. I am more apt to read a spiritual growth book in the morning and a leisure read at night time, because it is harder for me to concentrate later at night. Reading is a discipline. If we want to read more and we find value in reading, then we need to make time for it. I could write an entire post about the value of reading (which I might do). It is a very helpful discipline for growth, mentally and spiritually, and it's a discipline that we should make a regular part of our schedules. In the twenty minutes that we might spend on social media in the morning, we could spend that time reading a book which will actually be more encouraging and valuable than mindlessly scrolling through content. One way that you can make reading a discipline in your life is by replacing your time on social media in the morning with reading for ten minutes. If you've been wanting to read more, the first step is deciding if reading is something that you view as valuable and important and then making the time for it, even if it's just 15 minutes a day to start. Ultimately, my hope is that you would find reading as something that is profitable and would make it a regular discipline. If you want to make reading a regular discipline, but you're looking for good books to read, here are a few recommendations: Leisure Reads:
Circle Series 4-in-1 (The Circle Series) To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson The Magnolia Story Spiritual Growth: Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That's a Good Thing) Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World The links to the books above are affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing a book or other products She Laughs Without Fear receives a small commission. When you buy books, you allow me to buy more books for review. Thanks for helping to fund my reading habit and supporting She Laughs Without Fear at no additional cost to you!  If you're a regular around here, you know that I often share about books that I'm reading and what books have impacted my life. But what I have never shared are the ways that I get books free/for a discount. There are a number of resources that I would love to share about in a future post, but today I came across an Amazon Prime deal that might encourage you to buy a new book or two. Today only, Amazon is offering a discount of $5 off of a purchase of $15 for books and many of their books are discounted today. To secure the deal, you just need to put in the code PRIMEBOOKS17 at checkout. The coupon code is valid until tomorrow July 12. You can learn more about the coupon code here. But I also wanted to share a few books that I would recommend buying with this sweet deal! So here are some top picks to pick up: None Like Him by Jen Wilkin - she explores 10 ways God is different from us and why that's a good thing. I keep giving this book as a gift to friends. See a review here. Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson - great book on humility and how humility brings peace into our lives. Made for More by Hannah Anderson - ever wonder why you were made and what your purpose in life is? Great book exploring this topic. Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin - helpful book on how to study the Bible with your heart and mind. See review. Side by Side by Ed Welch - loved reading this book with a friend on campus last semester. It gives encouragement and helpful ideas for relational ministry. A Praying Life by Paul Miller - read this book in college, and my prayer life has never been the same ever since. If you've ever wanted to grow in communing with the Lord in prayer, this book is for you. Love Walked Among Us by Paul Miller - it's all about how Jesus loved people and how we're called to love people as Jesus loved. If you want to feel refreshed by the amazing love of Christ, this here is your pick. Review of the book. 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You by Tony Reinke - just finished reading this pick, and it's probably one of the best books that I've read in 2017. Couldn't recommend it more highly. See a review here. Cinemagogue by James Harleman - this book shaped the way that I viewed filmmaking and watching movies and television in college - helpful book in thinking through how films shape how we view God and how God should shape our viewership. It's Not What You Think by Jefferson Bethke -addresses common misconceptions about being a Christian, and addresses things that most Christians do not think about, like what eternity will really be like. See review here. My husband's recommendations: Church History in Plain Language by Bruce L. Shelley - helpful book for those that want to learn more about church history. Circle Series by Ted Dekker - just finished reading this after Brandon's request and OH MY! Such a great book series. Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin - In the words of Brandon, this is a book that everyone should read. He has found it particularly helpful as he thinks through leading musical worship and why worshipping God matters. Hope that you find a new summer read that you'll enjoy and expand your mind. Don't forget to put PRIMEBOOKS17 at the check out to receive the deal.  The links to the books above are affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing a book or other products She Laughs Without Fear receives a small commission. When you buy books, you allow me to buy more books for review. Thanks for helping to fund my reading habit and supporting She Laughs Without Fear at no additional cost to you!  My parents bought my first cell phone when I was thirteen. It was a silver LG flip-phone that I carried on an eighth grade field-trip. It made my parents feel like I was safe, and it made me feel like I was cool. It took forever to send text messages to friends, and so I hardly ever used it for more than talking to my parents or making quick plans. My little flip-phone was upgraded two years later to an LG with a full keyboard. I was moving up in the world and my fingers had the space to send longer messages and communicate more with friends. My friends still commented that I never returned text messages or calls but it was better than with my flip-phone. I was supposed to take this phone on a cruise trip with my school's music department, but I forgot it at home, so my parents mailed it from Pennsylvania to Florida overnight. Two years later, I upgraded once again, but this time it was to an iPhone 4, and my cell phone habits haven't been the same ever since. While I was once known as the friend that never answered her phone or responded, I'm now known by my husband as the one that struggles to put her phone down at night. I still struggle with responding to friends, but it's no longer due to not using my phone. And I've never forgotten my iPhone at home while going on a trip. My smart phone has changed me. For better and for worse. Maybe you have a story similar to mine. Your smart phone entered into your life slowly, but has since then become a constant accessory. I wrote in June about how I'm learning how to consecrate my phone to the Lord, and those thoughts were prompted by seeing the ways that my phone is making demands upon me that I never thought it could. These thoughts were further explored while reading Tony Reinke's new book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You. The title says it all: Reinke lays out twelve ways that our phones are changing us. The twelve ways are as follow:
I don't know about you, but my phone has changed me in all twelve of these ways and more. Before reading this book I had already thought about how my phone changes the way that I interact with others, how it makes me more lonely, and how it makes me feed immediate approval. But I had never thought about how it makes me lose meaning in that it disconnects me from what's actually going on in my life and how our phones make us lose our place in time. If you have a phone, you should read this book. It is written towards Christians, but even if you are not a Christian you should read this book. After each chapter, I couldn't help but think through the ways that I've seen my phone change me and impact my life and what those changes mean going forward. What I appreciate about Tony Reinke's book is that he does not make a case that phones are bad and therefore we shouldn't use them. He makes the case that phones are tools that we are called to steward and use with self-control or else they will control us. He ends the book with a chapter focused on thinking through what we might be called to do in terms of creating boundaries with our phones. I've been thinking a lot about how to apply the principles from this book and how to exercise self-control over my phone, and I've come up with a few applications for my life. Now, these applications might not work for you, but I'd recommend that you would join me in taking a look at your phone usage, taking a gander at this book, and thinking through how you might be called to make a change in light of how your phone is changing you. Here are some of my applications:
There is more that I could share about this book, but in summary I would highly recommend everyone to read it and to think through the ways that your phone is changing you. If you don't believe me (or Tony Reinke) try not touching your phone for an hour. I bet it will be quite difficult. My prayer is the same as Tony Reinke, that we would see our phones as a good gift, but one that we must steward. They allow us to do so much and they are so helpful, but they can also affect us in ways that are unhelpful. My prayer is that we would think through ways that we can use self-control with our phones, rather than allowing them to control us. Have you ever thought about ways that your phone is changing you before? I received a free copy of 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. The Amazon links to the books mentioned above are affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase any of the books, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear!
Growing up, my father would always encourage my sister and I that work was good for the soul. He modeled for us what it looked like to work diligently in all areas of life. While I learned a lot from my father in terms of working hard, I really struggled with viewing work as good and good for the soul. The fact is that my father was not far from a biblical truth that begins in Genesis. Work is good for the soul, because God made mankind with the purpose of doing fruitful work and labor in his garden, but man's sin made our work toilsome and difficult, and now we're longing for the redemption of all things, including work. James M. Hamilton explores this idea of work in his book Work and Our Labor in the Lord. A short but helpful book, Hamilton explores four aspects of our work: creation, work after the fall, redemption, and restoration. I've been thinking a lot about work and calling over the past few months and have read several books that focus on why we were made and how we should live out our calling and be good stewards of our callings (Made for More, You Are Free, and What's Best Next). However, this book gives a great introduction to why God made work, why work is good for us, why work is so hard, and how work can and will be redeemed or restored through Jesus. Here are some standout quotes: “Work is neither punishment nor cursed drudgery but an exalted, Godlike activity” If you're looking for a book with a helpful biblical perspective on work and how work will be redeemed, Work and Our Labor in the Lord should be on your list.  Related Posts The Work of God's Fingers Confessions of A Creative Christian Shadows of Heavenly Things The Amazon links to the books mentioned above are affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase any of the books, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear!
I received a free copy of Work and Our Labor in the Lord in exchange for an honest review from Crossway.  Several bloggers that I follow shared about this book (You Are Free) by Rebekah Lyons a couple months ago, sharing that it encouraged them in thinking through what it means to walk in freedom. I'll admit, I was skeptical about this book. Sometimes I avoid books if they seem like they might be "fluffy". This book was definitely not fluffy, but it's also not what I expected. When I see a book labeled You Are Free with a foreword written by Ann Voskamp, I expect the book to be the working out of deep theological truths a la the Book of Romans style. I expected to read a book that seeks to help women understand what it means to walk in the freedom of Christ as described in so many different passages of the Bible. What I found in this book was different from what I expected, but no less helpful. You Are Free is not a book that takes specific passages and shows their implications to our lives and how the Bible itself can help us to walk in freedom. This book is one woman sharing vulnerably about the areas in her life where she was not walking in freedom in the identity that she has in Jesus Christ, and some of the ways that the Lord worked in out in her heart. This book is primarily an autobiography of what it looked like for one woman to grow in her relationship with Jesus. I appreciate learning from other women as they live our their faith in their day to day life, but I did not expect this theme to be the main thrust of the book. While I'm sad that there weren't more practicals or Scriptures in the book that might encourage women to see the ways that they are not walking in freedom from sin, I did appreciate Rebekah Lyons prose and sharing specific things that God has been teaching her about living in freedom. Here are some takeaways that I had while reading this book: Remember the Joy of the Lord Rebekah takes a chapter to talk about how she realized that she had lost her joy. In doing, doing, and doing, she no longer felt the joy of the Lord in her life, and her children saw it in their mother's smile. Reading this chapter was like an alarm, and I found myself thinking and praying through, "Am I intentional in remembering the joy that I have in Jesus?" The answer is that I often do not take the time to remember the joy of my salvation and the joy that I have in Jesus. This chapter made me think through and evaluate whether I make intentional space in my life for thanksgiving and offering prayers of thankfulness to God. It made me think through the ways in which I can enjoy Jesus more. It made me think through whether my prayer focus for May should be thinking through the things that rob me from my joy in the Lord. As an added bonus, when my joy is in Jesus, it is easier for me to walk in freedom from sin, because when I give into sin, I believe the lie that it will satisfy me or bring me more joy than Jesus. And it never does. Thinking through what it looks like to put my joy in the Lord is immensely helpful in terms of living free and remembering who I am in Jesus. Short Prayers Can Be Powerful Rebekah shared a number of prayers that she wrote in her journal as she was working through walking in freedom from anxiety and depression and panic attacks. I really appreciated her sharing these short prayers. Something as simple as Lord, please show up in my sleep has a lot of power. It made me realize how often I forget to pray or talk to the Lord and I can simply talk to Him, even if it's a short prayer like Lord, please help me to remember who I am in Jesus. The Lord Sets Us Free So That We Can Help Others Walk In Freedom Something I appreciated about Rebekah Lyons' testimony in this book is how the Lord setting her free from anxiety and panic attacks has actually allowed her to love and care for others and point them towards the freedom that they can have in Jesus. She shared a story in which she was on a plane and a woman started having a panic attack. God used that as an opportunity for her to love and care for that woman and walk her through the panic attack and then even share about Jesus with her. She is now able to use her freedom as a means to help others to walk in freedom as well. Review Summary When it comes to recommending this book, I would recommend this book to women that enjoy reading about someone else's walk of faith. I gleaned a lot of nuggets from Rebekah Lyons and her relationship with Jesus, and there is much that we can learn and be encouraged by from other followers of Jesus. However, I would not recommend this as the first book someone should read if they want to walk in freedom from sin or want to know what it means to be made free by Jesus Christ. For someone that wants to walk in freedom and know what it means to be free, I would recommend reading Romans 6 or Colossians 3 or both of those books of Scripture in their entirety. If you want to learn more about the book or even read the first chapter, you can do so here: You Are Free.  The Amazon links to the book mentioned above are affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase any of the books, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear! I received a free copy of You Are Free in exchange for an honest review from Book Look Bloggers.
Reading is a discipline that I'm learning blesses others more than it blesses me. While I might glean nuggets of wisdom that challenge and grow my heart, the nuggets I receive actually end up loving and serving the friend that I talk with later on. I've read a lot of books like this over the past month, books that encouraged me and might just encourage you, which is why I like to share about them. So here are a few books that I've been reading over the past few months and how they might encourage you.  Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson A few weeks back, I wrote a blog post called When Humility Brings Peace as a result of reflecting upon reading Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson. I was deeply encouraged by Anderson's writing and her connections from the Bible in regards to humility and peace. Her main point: you are not God and you desperately and dependently need Him, and the humility of that statement brings peace. I've been walking through a season where the Lord is showing me my desperate need and dependence on Him and how important it is that I abide in Jesus. If you're looking for peace in your life, I would recommend this book to you. PS: the chapter on transplanting vines is my favorite because it relates directly to abiding in Jesus. Discipling: How to Help Others Follow Jesus by Mark Dever If you're looking for a short but helpful book that will help you in the process of helping others grow in their walks with Christ, this book is for you. Immensely practical, Dever gives a definition of discipleship (doing spiritual good to others to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus), and gives helpful practicals of what that looks like. As someone that loves discipleship (giving and receiving), I would love to see others grow in thinking through how God has called them and equipped them from the Bible to be disciples and to help others to be disciples. The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines I'm a big fan of Fixer Upper and the business model that Chip and Joanna Gaines employ. They use their business to love other people like Jesus and have a heart to see the restoration of homes. They're in the business of restoration, and I am too! (Just in the business of heart restoration through Christ.) This book was an enjoyable read, and it encouraged me in hearing what God has done through the lives of this couple and their business. If you like Fixer Upper or Magnolia, this book is a great read for you! If you want to read a book about a couple that use their business to glorify God and love others, this book is for you as well. If you just want an autobiographical read... you got it, this is for you! Made for More: An Invitation to Live in God's Image by Hannah Anderson I just finished reading this book, and I am so thankful that I did. I read it at just the right time, when I needed to be reminded that I am made in the image of God and for a purpose. If you're in a place where you feel purposeless or that you're not living up to your true potential or just discouraged in the things that God has called you to, then this book is a timely read for you! After finishing Made for More, I've taken a fair amount of time to think through how God has made me and in what specific ways He is calling me to image Him in my work and my day-to-day life, and have been invigorated in my work by how I can reflect the Lord. How about you, my friends? Have you read any books lately that you would recommend? Send some love and comment your titles below! The Amazon links to the books mentioned above are affiliate links. If you click on the links and purchase any of the books, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear!
 I remember the first time I experienced a "quiet time". In Christian circles, a "quiet time" is time alone with God. Most people take this time in the morning, but others use their lunch time or the wee hours of night. The first time I ever had a quiet time was at a conference for the campus ministry that I now work for. I wasn't a Christian yet, but I remember waking up, having breakfast with my friends from the Christian fellowship, and then everyone scattering to different parts of the conference center to sit by themselves and read the Scripture included in our packets. I remember taking a seat on an old green rocker on the conference center's expansive porch, opening the packet, and not knowing what to do. I read the Scripture passage several times, and was asked a few questions about how this applied to my life and my walk with God. I tried to get it done as quickly as possible, sat there and just stared out at the woods for a few minutes, and then went to find others. I laugh thinking back at this time, because it's such an evidence of God's work in my heart. My quiet times with the Lord look a lot different now, but I still struggle with the temptation to rush through getting my time in the Word done versus taking time to think about the Lord, talk to Him, and chew on His Word. I have found devotionals and Bible reading plans to be especially helpful in terms of setting aside this time with God, and making it a priority each morning to be still and listen to what God has to say to my heart and my mind. I'm currently using the She Reads Truth Bible reading plan, and find it encouraging because it comes to my phone every morning. But over the years, I've read a number of great devotionals. I'll share a few with you below, but I wanted to share with you about one in particular. It's a new one called A Spectacle of Glory: God's Light Shining through Me Every Day by Joni Eareckson Tada. If you're looking for a devotional to remind you of the glory of God, to think about His character, goodness, glory, and beautiful light, this devotional is for you. Joni shares that the purpose of this book is to help people embrace our eternal purpose. As a woman that has been a quadriplegic for fifty years and endured cancer and chronic pain, Joni has a lot to share in terms of choosing to glorify God even in hard life circumstances and suffering. As I sit down to read this devotional, I am reminded of the glory of God and his purposes as I see others suffer around me and walk through my own suffering, sorrows, and pain. With each day, Jodi gives a Scripture to focus on, a reflection from the passage or verse, and then a prayer to offer up to the Lord. If you're looking for a devotional that helps us to see our purpose in the midst of hard circumstances, this devotional is for you.  Looking for some additional devotional resources? Look no further: The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms by Tim Keller New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp She Reads Truth Solid Joys Devotional by John Piper The Amazon link to the books mentioned above is an affiliate link. If you click on the link and purchase this book, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear!
I received Joni's book free for review from Booklookbloggers.com and am happy to share it with you.  Twenty seventeen started off differently than I expected: working through anxiety, stress, fears, several deaths between family and friends and some personal health struggles. Definitely not my idea of welcoming twenty seventeen warmly. This year started with a deep groaning and the Lord working through some thorns and bramble in my heart, namely pride. If there's one thing that God has been teaching me over the past few months it's that I am not God. I am limited. I am weak. I am dependent, and I need Jesus more than anything. But I am a stubborn sheep that likes to run away, and the way my Shepherd saves me from myself is by breaking my legs and carrying me. I think we all experience these moments in life, when we just don't understand why we go through suffering and trials until we see it's greater purpose. It leads to a deep sense of humility and an admission: I am not God and that is okay. I'm learning to allow suffering, fatherly discipline from my Shepherd, anxiety, and fears point me humbly towards the One that understands and knows everything. I started reading a well recommended book yesterday, Humble Roots: How Humility Grounds and Nourishes Your Soul by Hannah Anderson. The introduction alone was like a balm from the Lord to my soul. Something she wrote struck a chord that's been reverberating in my heart over these past few months. I'd love to share it with you: You're not God. I'm not God. None of us are God. How freeing it is to recognize that there is a God and we are not Him. As I've walked through fears, anxiety, trials, and sorrow in the beginning of twenty seventeen, this is the way that the Lord has comforted my heart, and it's how He can comfort yours if you're walking through similar things. We can have peace in the midst of different situations, because we are not in control. We can have peace when we're fearful, because we have a good Shepherd that leads us beside still waters and through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). We can have peace when we're sorrowful and mourn, because we have a God that comforts the weak and those that mourn (Matthew 5). My prayer for us today is that we would humbly recognize in the good and hard circumstances of life that we are not God and that this truth would bring us peace and grow our faith. If the Lord's doing this work in your heart too, these links might be helpful on the journey: Dying to Self in the Age of Self-Love from Theology for Women The Best King of Self-Care is Care for Others from Hare Translators Four Reasons to Slow Down from Desiring God
The Amazon link to the book mentioned above is an affiliate link. If you click on the link and purchase this book, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear! |
Welcome! I'm Madi, a laughter-loving, movie-going, spontaneous-dancing, follower of Christ. Join me as I seek glimpses of God's grace in the ordinary and everyday.
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