Daring to Hope: Finding God's Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful, written by Katie Davis Majors
I read Majors' first book, Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, in 2012 and it was great. You can read my thoughts about it here. This book was clearly written in a different season of life, but is an equally good book. Life is messy, sometimes heartbreaking and overwhelming, but it's in our struggles that we see our need for a savior and find ourselves drawing closer to him. In a culture that places a high value on personal comfort, expects instant gratification in all areas of life, and treats Jesus like a genie with their "name it and claim it" attitude, this book is great reminder that our hard times serve a purpose and we're not alone in the midst of them.
p. 49, You and I both know the truth of it: loving people is hard. It brings us to the very end of ourselves. And as much as we are trained to avoid it, the end of ourselves is such a very sweet place to be.
p. 59, I began to practice the art of being interrupted.
p. 98, Slowly I was beginning to understand that it wasn't my productivity that God desired; it was my heart. It wasn't my ministry God loved; it was me. God was glorified, is glorified, when we give Him our hearts, give Him ourselves, and faithfully do the thing right in front of us, no matter how small or trivial.
p. 110, But the truth is, I can't fold my arms to the hurt of this world and simultaneously reach out for my Savior. To reach for Him, I have no choice but to fling my arms wide again.
p. 122, Why had I believed my whole life that ease and success, gifts and miracles, smiling faces and my plans fulfilled, meant the Lord's blessing and favor? The blessings also abound in the darkest night and the deepest valley, if we have eyes to see them.
p. 128, Instead of demanding the thing that I wanted and labeling it belief, I simply expected God to show up < snip > I knew now that my real hope was my leaning into the arms of God, who would hold me regardless of my circumstance.
p. 135, And suddenly the hard road becomes not a burden but a place of great honor, a place of partnership and intimacy with Him.
p. 139, Surely, faithfulness is not a onetime act, not a decision or a destination, not something to eventually be attained. Faithfulness is what we repeatedly do. It is a habit formed of long, hard obedience in the quiet. < snip > Faithfulness is in a million tiny decisions and a million small surrenderings - submitting with a simple Yes, Lord - that create a lifetime of obedience in the extraordinary and in the mundane.
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Dating With Integrity: Honoring Christ in Your Relationships With the Opposite Sex, written by John Holzmann
Silas read this book for school and I read it for the sake of talking with him about it. Although I don't agree 100% with everything, there's a lot of wisdom in the book and things for a person to consider in their relationships. I think it's good to read it less with an attitude of it being God-breathed rules we must follow in order for things to go well and more of considering some biblical principles and practical suggestions that could be beneficial. I think the part that's key is simply to put thought into how you want to handle dating relationships and mixed gender friendships, then be proactive in setting yourself up for success.
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The Family Under the Bridge, written by Natalie Savage Carlson and illustrated by Garth Williams
I read this to Tyler for school. Fourth time through the book and I love it more each time. An elderly hobo, a homeless mom and kids, some gypsies, and Father Christmas all collide in this sweet story set in Paris.
p. 71, "What good does it do to be honest if you aren't kind and generous?" he asked.
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Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian Women Ask About Sex, written by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus
This book is filled with words of healing for those struggling with choices they regret and/or the pain of things done to them against their will, words of encouragement for those wanting to improve as lovers in the sexual area of their marriage, and lots of practical advice that's grounded in scripture.
p.111, Faithfulness to our vows is more than the absence of an affair or the absence of a divorce document. Faithfulness is the presence of love, devotion, honor, loyalty, and encouragement.
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Wonder, written by R. J. Palacio
Written from the perspectives of multiple people, this fictional story of a boy whose face is severely disfigured is one of thinking past yourself, stretching your comfort zone, and meeting people where they're at. It's about doing all of those things all the time, as we're always part of the "normal" group in some areas of life while being the odd man out in others, and those things matter in both places.
p. 231, I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.
p. 299, "It's what you've done with your time, how you've chosen to spend your days, and whom you have touched this year. That, to me, is the greatest measure of success."
p. 301, "And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, someday, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God."
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