Thanks to a hack on our WordPress site, I have been unable to blog for the past couple weeks, which is sad because I have good things I want to share with you all! Forgive my back-to-back posts of favorite things, but I want you to hear about these before Christmas! First up is an advent resource I used last year to help prepare my heart for the Christmas season. With the hustle and stress of a busy month, I wanted to slow my heart down and engage with the story of Christmas in a meaningful way. I had heard good things about The Advent of the Lamb of God (published previously as Behold the Lamb of God), and I […]
The Wilderking Trilogy
Hello, friends! After a busy summer of travel, we’re back at it, and we’d like to share some new #favoritethings that we’ve discovered along the way. Up this week is The Wilderking Trilogy, by Jonathan Rogers. As a boy mom, I’m always looking for a good read-aloud that will engage my sons’ imaginations and stir them toward nobler thoughts. The Wilderking Trilogy most certainly delivers. The antics of our favorite characters elicited delightful giggles, and the action kept them asking for “please, just one more chapter!” But these books aren’t just a fun read–they explore themes like loyalty, friendship, courage, stewardship, and wisdom. The first book, The Bark of the Bog Owl, begins the tale of Aidan Errolson, the outdoorsy youngest […]
The King’s Messenger
This week’s #favoritething is a delightful story written by someone who has since become a dear friend. The King’s Messenger, by Carolyn Clare Givens is a middle-grade chapter book that reads as a kind of parable. This medieval tale will captivate children and parents alike. (You know it’s a good book when a 10-year-old boy devours it in one sitting–as does his momma.) Smuggins waits daily in the presence of his beloved King. As a messenger, he stands at the ready, observing everything the King does, awaiting his turn to be called to serve. Years of waiting and watching shape him, preparing him for the day rumors of unrest reach the throne room and he is finally called upon for an important and dangerous mission. Is […]
Different, by Sally Clarkson and Nathan Clarkson
This week’s #favoritething is the biggest gift I’ve received this year. A gift I purchased with my own spending money the moment I found out it existed. The book is called Different. All you sweet ones who are worried about your adhd, odd, ocd kids, autistic, Aspergers, physically disabled, too loud, too quiet, difficult or “different in some way” child, know that you are not alone. This book was Nathan’s idea. “Mom, we need to encourage others who feel out of the box or have an out of the box child so they can be encouraged by our story.” And so Nathan’s idea is now this book. –Sally Clarkson, from her blog post about Different Apart from my own mother, […]
Love and Respect, by Dr Emerson Eggerichs
Today’s #favoritething is the one book that’s had by far the biggest impact on our marriage. Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs is a thorough, biblically-based look at the differences between a husband’s and wife’s driving needs. When those needs go unmet, the Crazy Cycle happens–a series of negative reactions that intensify conflict. Dr. Eggerichs teaches couples how to get off the Crazy Cycle and move intentionally toward meeting each other’s deepest needs, and he points them to the One who can help them to do so regardless of what they’re getting in return. It’s not a quick-fix book, but more of a way of understanding why we behave the way we do […]
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
–Originally published on FWB21 March 18, 2011– Did you know that Aretha Franklin’s famous song “Respect” was written by a man? Otis Redding, to be exact. The following lyrics were lauded by the feminist movement when sung by a woman, but listen to this man’s words pleading for respect and recognition from a woman: (oo) All I’m askin’ (oo) Is for a little respect when you come home (just a little bit) Hey baby (just a little bit) when you get home R-E-S-P-E-C-T Find out what it means to me Has quite a different ring to it, huh? A man pleading with his wife for a little respect. I found this interesting tidbit in Dr. Emerson Eggerich’s book Love and […]
Thoughts on Courage from The Seven Cardinal Virtues
–Originally published on FWB21 May 30, 2011– My husband found a gem of a used book for $0.99 at a local bookstore. Its title: The Seven Cardinal Virtues, by James Stalker, D.D. (1902, reprinted 1961). It’s a tiny book and lends itself to reading short excerpts here and there. This morning I just happened to read the section on courage, and I thought the following excerpts are profoundly fitting today’s celebration of those who gave their lives for the freedom of our country: What, then, is the connection between wisdom and courage? Wisdom, as we saw in the last chapter, is chiefly concerned with the object of existence; it fixes on the supreme good which we decide to pursue. And […]
The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer
One of the common sentiments among readers of Tozer’s Pursuit of God is that, even though this book was first published in the 40’s, it could easily have been written today (save some of the heavy wording peppered throughout the book). To take such a classic work and read it as fresh and pertinent to the church today is in itself an amazing thing. To see its contents apply so acutely to our own situation is another. And to see that churches in our culture have not much changed in nearly a century… Well, it’s humbling. Consider the following excerpts: The whole transaction of religious conversion has been made mechanical and spiritless. Faith may now be exercised without a jar […]
Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?
This is a book review. You may download a PDF version of the book for free. Randy Alcorn is a well-known and respected author. But this book is one of his lesser-known titles. In Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions? Alcorn answers the title question with thoroughly-investigated research presented with the heart of a pastor. Before you dismiss the title because you think you know what he’s going to say, think again. Alcorn begins with basic definitions, presents a solid groundwork of evidence, quotes the pill manufacturers themselves, analyzes evidence presented to the contrary, answers questions and objections, and puts forth a number of appendices full of supplemental information. He confronts the question both scientifically and spiritually, and his […]
The Legacy Path, by Brian Haynes
“Discover intentional spiritual parenting.” The Legacy Path, by Brian Haynes, is a guide for parents who wish to pass on their faith to the next generations but who may lack the skills to do so. After building a strong foundation upon biblical views of life and success in chapters 1-4, Haynes lays out seven milestones by which we can guide our children through life. With each milestone, he gives core competencies which parents should seek to instill in their children as they approach the next milestone. Practical suggestions for faith talks and milestone celebrations are plenteous, as are the extra resources available online. As parents who fluctuate between “we’ve got this parenting thing down pat” and “we don’t have a […]