 I'm trying something new. I love sharing things that I've found with you, so I thought I would start sharing them here more regularly. So we're gonna try something called the "Friday Five" where every Friday I'll share five things that I've stumbled upon or enjoyed that week. For this week's Friday Five... 1. Vintage Faux Leather BinderI'm a big fan of old vintage looking books and journals, so when I stumbled upon this binder on Amazon, I was tickled and tempted to buy twenty. But I used self control and only bought one... for now. 2. Frozen 2 SoundtrackEver since going to see Frozen II in theaters with a friend, I've had the soundtrack stuck in my head. Sometimes I wake up in the morning with "Into the Unknown" reverberating through my head. Thea also enjoys listening to it in the morning. I'm curious to see if she remembers listening to it regularly when she's older. 3. The Best Holiday Music Library EverIf you're looking for a curated list of Christmas music organized based off of mood and feel, Kendra Adachi (aka The Lazy Genius) created a compilation of Christmas music playlists for your enjoyment. 4. Say Short PrayersAs a regular listener of Emily P. Freeman's The Next Right Thing Podcast, I regularly find her podcasts helpful and thoughtful. This one in particular encouraged me as a new mom. My prayers don't need to be elaborate. They can be short, and Jesus still listens and answers. Maybe you need to be reminded of that too. 5. Keep a Quiet HeartI've been in the middle of reading this book by Elizabeth Elliott for two years, and I just started reading it more regularly during Thea's first nap in the morning. She's been taking short morning naps, so I need a book with short chapters so that I don't feel confused when I need to stop mid-chapter. She offers a lot of great thoughts in this book, and it's been encouraging for my relationship with God as I navigate the fullness of life that is new motherhood. What are some of your recent finds? I'd love to know. (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!)
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 It's hard to believe that October has come and gone. It's even harder to believe that November is almost halfway over, but I wanted to share a few good things that I found, read, heard, or watched this month. BooksHow to Win Friends & Influence PeopleIt took me three months to read this book, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I had a baby in August and she keeps me pretty busy. I finally finished this book, and I think that everybody (and I mean everybody) should read this book. Other than the Bible, this books offers some of the most helpful principles on human relations. If you're a human, you should read this book. ArticlesThese are articles that I have been collecting since August, and it's a mix of different topics and thoughts. If a title intrigues you, take a gander, but I found them all thought provoking. A Prayer for My FeetThe Lost SupperYour Children Are Your NeighborMyths About HomemakingCalculate Your Peak Energy TimeSunday Funday: A Different Kind of Sabbath MusicCount on ChristmasI started listening to Christmas music last week with Thea in the morning, and it's become a wonderful part of our morning routine. This song is a new favorite. I enjoy dancing around the house while listening to it. Movies + TVOnce Upon A Time: The Complete Seventh SeasonThe first season of Once Upon a Time premiered during my freshman year of college. I watched each season faithfully up until the sixth season, and then I took a break. I didn't know if I would watch the seventh season, but my husband and I just started. And WOW! I didn't think the seventh season of a show could be so good. Downton Abbey SeriesI decided. Downton Abbey is my favorite television show, and that's saying something because I have a hard time committing to favorite things. But this one is hands down my favorite or at least among my favorites. I re-watched the series recently in anticipation for the feature length film coming out, but I also needed a show to watch in the middle of the night while nursing my daughter, and so I chose Downton Abbey. ProductsStarbucks Strawberry Lemonade RefreshersWith a newborn, I need some sort of caffeine to help me in the early mornings, and this drink is something I use to buy at Starbucks. BUT NOW I can buy a 12 pack through Amazon. What I'm LearningDo What You Know. Use What You Have. Finish What You StartThe Nester (a home decor blogger whose work I enjoy reading) shared this mantra on her blog a few months ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. It has come in handy over these past few months as Brandon and I made space in our apartment to prepare for our baby, as I purchase or look for things that Thea might need, or even as I work on projects. Particularly the mantra of "Use What You Have" has been a resounding gong in my mind as I consider purchases. Even this week I was considering buying a swing for Thea to help occupy her when I need to take care of household chores. I considered buying one brand new, but then I remembered that a friend has one that her first born used but wasn't currently using. So instead of buying a new swing, I asked this friend to borrow hers, and Thea already loves it! I wasn't sure if Thea would enjoy a swing, and borrowing helped us to figure that out. There's been many times over the past few months where I have wanted to purchase something, and then realized that I had something in our home that could work just as well. When I consider making purchases now, I first consider if there is something around the house or something that I could borrow that can get the job done. If there is nothing around the house or that I can borrow, then I consider if I can get it second hand and give something second life. If that option is out of the question, then brand new it is! Of course this doesn't work for things like underwear, unless you have extra undies hidden away in your house, but it works well for a lot of other things. There You Have ItA compiled list of things I wanted to share. Are there any things you've encountered lately that you just want to share with others? Let me know in the comments below.
 Nothing speaks to my soul quite like poetry. Give me a line or a rhyme that speaks truth about life and inwardly I shout "Amen!" The thing I love about poetry is its ability to speak truth succinctly and in such a way that you often remember what it said well beyond reading or listening to it.
This is how I felt while reading Inhale, a book written by my friend Dara Alston from Avenue 89. Dara has written a book of poetry that gives an inward look at her relationship and conversations with and about God. And as the title of the book suggests, it's like taking a breath of air and inhaling the goodness of God. The book is divided in two parts. Part one is poetry. Part two encompasses two short stories focused on the kingdom of God. If you're looking for a book to read this fall as you inhale the cool fall air, you might enjoy reading this one. If you're interested, follow the link below to learn more and grab yourself a copy. I've been using "borrowed prayers" for years, but I didn't know that's what I could call them until listening to a podcast by Emily P. Freeman called The Next Right Thing (this episode). And since then I've been thinking about all of the borrowed prayers that I use, such as the Psalms, the Lord's Prayer, and the prayers of other saints. Emily shared this prayer by St. Francis Assisi in her podcast, and I thought I would share it as well. I hope that it blesses you as it has blessed me, and I hope to share more "borrowed prayers" in the future.   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! BooksBread and WineThis 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 PeopleI'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. Movies + TVSpider-Man: Far From HomeBrandon 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. MusicTestify by Jervis CampbellThis song was recommended on my Spotify weekly playlist, and I can't stop listening to it. Come, Lord Jesus by Sovereign GraceI heard Brandon singing this song while in the shower one morning, and I've since had it on repeat as well. ArticlesHow to Improve Your Sales Skills, Even If You're Not a SalespersonAnother great piece on handling interactions with people. Definitely for all people - not just salespeople. The Apostles Never "Shared" The Gospel, And Neither Should WeI'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. What I'm LearningLife is Lived in SeasonsI'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!) I am a treasure hunter by nature that enjoys finding and discovering things that are hidden or forgotten. This treasure hunting affinity has led to a love for thrift shopping, yard sale hopping, and consignment store thrills. But it also extends beyond consignment shopping into media (movies, books, tv shows, music, podcasts, websites, and so much more). I love finding fun things and sharing them with others. Here are some fun finds that I have found lately and wanted to share with all of you. Podcast: Side Hustle SchoolI'm a fan of people developing side hustles. Maybe it's the entrepreneur in me, but I love getting to listen to stories of how others having taken various things and turned them into side businesses or even full-fledged careers. My personal favorite is this episode of a software engineer that sells 64,000 Anne of Green Gables e-books. Book: Atomic HabitsA number of people that I know have read and recommended this book, so I finally borrowed it from my local library. It was so good that I ended up buying my own copy so that I could write notes and underline quotes. This is probably the best book I have ever read on habits, and it helpfully breaks down how good and bad habits are formed and how those same habits are broken. Let me tell you that this book has changed the way that I think about forming habits, and it has already helped me to take steps in forming good habits that I have been working on for years! Highly recommend. Movie: The SongChristian movies can be known for being quite cheesy, and I say this as a Christian that studied filmmaking in college and wanted to see more films made with Christian themes without being so cheesy. Brandon and I discovered this movie on Amazon Prime a while ago, but we were impressed! It's a modern take on the story of King Solomon as told through the life and marriage of a musician. This movie has a well crafted story as well as beautiful and compelling cinematography. If you're looking for a film for your next movie night, look no further than this film. Let me know if you take a gander at any of these fun finds or if you have any fun finds of your own. 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!
 The Christian life is a war, a war against the sin in our hearts. It's a daily battle and fight to believe what the Bible says is true when our world wants us to believe otherwise. It's a daily battle and fight to wage the wars in our own hearts - the one telling us to do whatever we want no matter the consequences yet fully knowing that chooses whatever we want may lead us to a place we never wanted to be. When it comes to fighting sin, we need a battle plan, and we need encouragement in the fight. My friend and co-worker Andy Cimbala's new book, The Relentless Fight, offers a helpful battle plan in our war with sin.
Andy's new book doesn't offer new methods of fighting sin or twelve steps to overcoming that hidden sin in your life. What Andy's book offers is a reminder of the power of the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, in the fight against sin. Andy's main point is that the gospel has all of the power that we need to wage our war against sin. The gospel is the battle plan. Not only does Andy point the reader to Scriptures that inform the power that we have in the gospel to fight sin, but he also shares honestly and vulnerably about his own fight with sin, and how the gospel has freed him time and time again. For a Christian struggling in the battle of sin in their lives, this book would be a helpful aide in the battle. This book has been years in the making, and I've enjoyed getting to read Andy's blog while anxiously anticipating the publishing of this book. But this helpful resource is now available, and I'm eager to recommend it. It's focused on the gospel and points to relevant Scriptures on the topic. It's immensely practical, even distilling down complex content into succinct points, and it's a quick read at around 120 pages. If you need some help and encouragement in the fight against sin, might I recommend you purchasing this book: The Relentless Fight: The Power of the Gospel in the Fight Against Sin. And in the words of Andy Cimbala's new book: "All of life is repentance. And that makes for a life of fighting. What will keep you going, especially when you fail? Answer: the gospel. The power of the gospel gives motivation for the fight against sin. If you forget the gospel, you will stop fighting. If you forget that you've been forgiven, you'll wallow in guilt. If you forget that you've been cleansed, you'll be shackled by shame and too broken to fight. If you forget that you are loved by God, you'll try to look for love in the wrong places. If you forget the power of God's Word given to you, you'll never pick up the sword of the Scripture. So remember the gospel, and keep fighting." Keep fighting, friends! Note: If you purchase Andy's book through one of the links above, not only would you support Andy's work, but this blog would receive a small commission at no cost to you or to Andy thanks to Amazon's Affiliate Program. Thank you for enabling me to purchase other books to read and review through your purchases. Also, I received a free book from Andy after reading the early manuscript, but all thoughts about the book are my own.  Welcome to "the good stuff" a collection of things I've discovered via the interwebs. It usually includes articles, books, movies, television shows, videos, or podcasts that I've enjoyed or found interesting. I've been doing a lot of reading lately, so there are a few links that include books.
Atomic Habits // James Clear Probably the best book I've read so far in 2019, and I'm not exaggerating. This book has been immensely helpful in navigating creating good habits and stopping bad ones in my life. It's amazing to think that God designed us to create habits in a certain way and that we can actually use self-control in creating an environment conducive to good habits. The Next Right Thing // Emily P. Freeman One of my favorite authors wrote this book prompted by her podcast by the same title. It's a soulful way of thinking through life's big decisions. I've been savoring this one, trying to read it slowly and enjoy every chapter. Highly recommend. How R.C. Sproul Blessed the Church by Preaching the Curse // Tim Challies Tim Challies dissects one of R.C. Sproul's most popular sermons. I appreciated Tim Challies analysis of the sermon, and it encouraged me to want to listen to the whole thing. Move Over, Sex and Drugs, Ease is the New Vice // Jen Pollock Michel Surprising connection with how the desire for ease is affecting our daily lives. Reaching the Unreached // Reality Santa Barbara A speaker shared this video at a recent student conference, and I thought it was masterful in highlighting the need to reach the unreached in a cinematic way.  Welcome to "the good stuff" a collection of things I've discovered via the interwebs. It usually includes articles, books, movies, television shows, videos, or podcasts that I've enjoyed or found interesting. I've been storing up some articles over the past few weeks, and really wanted to share them with you.
Starting The Day On the Internet Is Damaging Your Brain // Srinivas Rao I'm sure we all know this, but it's helpful to be reminded and understand the implications of starting our days on the internet. Strategies for Self-Control in the Digital Era // Drew Dyck Pretty helpful ideas and strategies. I think we're going to see more and more how self-control with devices and social media will actual help human flourishing. When You're Sharing Jesus As an Outsider // Amy Medina I appreciate this perspective from a cross cultural missionary and how it applies to Christians living in the United States. Digital Addiction Getting You Down? Try an Analog Cure // Cal Newport You might be sensing a digital theme with this edition of "The Good Stuff", and it's because I've been thinking a lot about my digital life, and I think we all should think about it more. Cal Newport offers some great thoughts, and I plan on trying some of these things myself! The Lazy Genius Morning Routine // Kendra Adachi If you need help creating a morning routine, you might find this podcast episode helpful. I'm a fan of the Lazy Genius and appreciate her ways of simplifying things, and this episode is no different. She really helps you break down a morning routine and building habits over the long term. Interested in some more "good stuff" take a gander at previous link shares. Or have some articles to share as well? Feel free to share them in the comments below.  Welcome to "the good stuff" a collection of things I've discovered via the interwebs. It usually includes articles, books, movies, television shows, videos, or podcasts that I've enjoyed or found interesting. I've been storing up some articles over the past few weeks, and really wanted to share them with you. On Being An Influencer // Juliet's Library Juliet has an Instagram that features beautiful photos of books, but I appreciated this post she shared on her blog on some of the struggles of being an influencer on social media. Millennials Have Adopted A Culture Of "Un-dating" And Frankly It Needs To Stop // Kaitlyn Pastor A friend shared this article on social media, and I found myself agreeing with the whole thing. This is an important article for such a time as this. Fortnight Isn't A Game, It's A Place To Hang Out // Owen Williams I gave workshop related to media a few months ago, and we talked about Fortnight in the workshop. Another friend shared this article, and I thought it offered some insights into why Fortnight is so popular with young people. A Tip For Having Better Conversations // Modern Mrs. Darcy I could probably write a whole book or blog series off of this article, which offers a very valuable tip on having better conversations and deeper, more intimate relationships with the people in your life. Disney Princesses with Careers Based Off Their Characters // Talia Lakritz An artist shared these renditions of Disney princesses in outfits and careers based off of their personalities. If you're a Disney princess fan, this article of photos will be a treat. Interested in some more "good stuff" take a gander at previous link shares.
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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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