You Matter. By Matthew Emerzian

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

You matter. Not because of what you earn or how you look or what you’ve achieved, but because you are inherently valuable. Author Matthew Emerzian takes this seemingly simple premise and shows readers how truly understanding their own worth will change every aspect of their lives. You Matter is a call to empathy and a joyous celebration of the value of each and every person.

The book is structured into three sections, each of which expands the concept in ever widening ripples. In the first section, “I Matter,” readers come to terms with their own worth, in “You Matter” that awareness expands to acknowledge and celebrate the value of the people around us, and finally in “We Matter” Emerzian explores the power of a thriving community with those around us. Each chapter features exercises, journal prompts, and conversation starters to help readers dive deeper.

Author Matt Emerzian is the founder of Every Monday Matters, a not-for-profit dedicated to spreading the message of self-worth and compassion to people throughout the world. Every week 1.2 million people—from elementary school children to employees at national corporations—engage with ideas and concepts from Every Monday Matters.

My thoughts-

Self help books are hit or miss for me. I either find them incredibly dull or deeply engaging. This is the first self help book I have read in a while that I couldn't put down. I love the positive vibes throughout the book about how to make your mark in this world by doing what you can because you matter! Part memoir- I enjoyed the bits about the author's life- both about people have helped him in some way or people he has helped in some way, and it seems like these meetings always seem to end into friendships. Mr. Emerzian shows us through various stories of his how we can make differences in small ways by something as simple as striking up a conversation with a stranger in a Starbucks, as well as to search within ourselves for what comes naturally to us and use that to contribute to the world. I absolutely love the message behind this book. I recommend it to anyone trying to find their place in this world. 

The Grumble Free Year: Twelve Months, Eleven Family Members, and One Impossible Goal by Trisha Goyer

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

The Goyer home--with two parents, eight kids, and one eighty-eight-year-old grandmother with dementia--is never without noise, mess, activity, and, often, complaining. And it's not just the kids grumbling. After adding seven children in less than six years through adoption, the Goyer family decided to move out of survival-mode and into unity- and growth-mode. They decided to tackle the impossible: a grumble-free year.

With grade-schoolers, teenagers, and a grandmother who believes children should be seen and not heard, plenty of room exists for flunking the challenge. Add to that seven children being homeschooled together in close quarters, and what could possibly go awry?

In The Grumble-Free Year, the Goyers invite readers into their journey as they go complaint-free and discover what it looks like to develop hearts of gratitude. They share their plans, successes, failures, and all the lessons they learn along the way, offering real-life action steps based in scripture so that readers get not just a front-row seat to the action but also an opportunity to take the challenge themselves and uncover hearts that are truly thankful.

My thoughts-

I have read a lot of Tricia Goyer's fiction works over the last several years and even a few of her non-fiction books. I always seems to enjoy what she writes so I jump at the chance to read whatever I see by her. I felt this book got off to a slow start, but that is because the grumble free year at the Goyer house also got off to a slow start- which makes sense in such a large family, even my family of 5 would take a while to get used to such a big change. We are wired to be negative so we have to fight those urges to get to a place to be positive. I thought the book gave some great advice on how to be more positive, how to complain less, and how to takes life's punches as they come in a better way than just always focusing on the bad of difficult situations. I appreciate the Goyers letting us learn from their year long project and their willingness to be open about their struggles to get there. I enjoyed the discussions questions at the end of each chapter. I recommend this book to anyone looking to be more positive. 

Emotional Advantage by Randy Taran

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

In recent years, there has been an overwhelming interest in the science of happiness and positive psychology, and many books on the subject. There is a good reason for this: it is a core, universal human drive. And while happiness has opened the door for many to move forward, there is a burgeoning curiosity about the full range of human emotions, all of which factor into the human experience. What do we do when life does not go as planned?

Neuroscience reveals that to understand and utilize any emotion, we need to “name it to tame it.” It turns out that even negative emotions have something to offer, if we know how to learn from them. Have you ever woken up in a fog of feelings and felt directionless? Or maybe it was hard to pinpoint exactly what you were feeling, but it wasn’t where you wanted to be? What if we could actually use our feelings as a pathway to guide us back to our inner compass? What if, like alchemists, we had the tools to transform our emotions to take charge of creating our very best life? What if we could comprehend how even the most troublesome emotions are sending messages to alert, protect, and fuel us forward?

Emotional Advantage is that guide. It will show us how a new perspective on fear can move us to courage, how guilt can clarify our values, and how anger can help us create healthy boundaries.

My thoughts- 

I like that the chapters were divided by the particular emotion. It was nice to focus on them one emotion at a time. I wish that the book would have went in order from heaviest emotion to deal with to lightest emotion to deal with instead of going in the opposite direction and starting with happiness although I understand it is because happiness as an emotion doesn't need much direction to follow since it is an easy emotion to feel. I do like the book advocates naming and feeling your emotions to get through them, instead of ignoring them or automatically medicating them. I think Emotional Advantage is a great book that would be helpful to any human person. 

God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies by Just Holcomb & Lindsey Holcomb

Disclosure of material connection: I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Litfuse Group in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.


About the book:

God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies
"God made every part of you!"

It's easy to convey the message to children that their bodies---or particular parts of their bodies---are shameful. This misconception fuels confusion, embarrassment, and secrecy, and often prevents children from recognizing or reporting sexual abuse.
God Made All of Me is a simply-told, beautifully-illustrated story to help families talk about these sensitive issues with two- to eight-year-old children. Because the private parts of our bodies are private, the home is the ideal environment where a child should learn about his or her body and how it should be treated by others.

God Made All of Me starts from the fundamental truth that God created everything and applies that truth---the doctrine of creation---to kids and their bodies. It equips parents to talk with both boys and girls about their bodies and to help them understand the difference between the appropriate and inappropriate touch of others. God Made All of Me allows families to build a first line of defense against sexual abuse in the safety of their own homes.

God Made All of Me is the first children's book written by Rid of My Disgrace authors Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Parents of young children themselves, the Holcombs regularly counsel victims of sexual abuse and are profoundly aware of the dangers kids face. Their simple and relatable story, designed to help children protect their bodies, will be an important resource for every family with young children.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1j72kTN

 

My thoughts-

 

It seems like every time you  turn on  the news these days your hear  about  someone being sexually assaulted and those are  only the ones that are reported. I can  not even imagine how many people have been through  something  like that and feel too ashamed to come forward. It would be especially confusing to a child. I have 3 kids, all school aged, and I have tried to keep an open line of communication with them about their bodies, but telling them how to avoid sexual assault is a conversation  that is difficult to even  know where to start. God Made All of Me is a book that every single parent should have in their children's book collection. This book is presented in a way that is understandable to young children, but doesn't over elaborate on sexual assault. The focus is on teaching children that they are in control of who touches them (whether that be an unwanted hug, kiss, embrace, or inappropriate touching) and that they can say no. It gives them the words to stay in control of the situation and the power to know that if something ever happens that makes them uncomfortable that they 100% CAN tell a trusted adult (like mom, dad, or a teacher). I read this book with my three children, ages 6, 6, and 8, and they had questions or things to add on nearly every page. It definitely started a dialogue for my family and I am certain it would for yours as well. I absolutely think every parent should own a copy of God Made All of Me. It will help you start a conversation that may be tough to tackle on your own.

 

About the authors- 

 

Justin Holcomb, PhD, is an Episcopal priest and professor of theology and Christian thought at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author of "On the Grace of God," "Know the Heretics," and "Know the Creeds and Councils," as well as the coauthor of "Is It My Fault?" and "Rid of My Disgrace." He also serves on the boards for REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade) and GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments). |*|*| Lindsey Holcomb, MPH, counsels victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and is the cofounder of REST (Real Escape from the Sex Trade). Lindsey has provided crisis intervention to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and conducted a variety of training seminars to service providers. She is also the coauthor of "Is It My Fault?" and "Rid of My Disgrace."

Connected: Curing the Pandemic of Everyone Feeling Alone Together by Erin Davis (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Technology has allowed us to connect with more people in more places than ever before. Sure we have “friends” we even have “followers” and yet, a silent epidemic is sending shock waves straight into our living rooms. What is this hidden disease? Loneliness. Popular author Erin Davis knows what it’s like to feel lonely. She knows how it feels to have many friends, a full schedule, and a pit in her stomach. As she wrestled her own feelings of loneliness to the ground, Erin started to feel like the scientist charged with finding the cure for the lonely epidemic—a journey that has proved to be funny, encouraging, and helpful. What is causing the pain of loneliness to gnaw at our hearts? What does God know about feeling alone? While swimming in a sea of people, what’s a lonely girl to do? Where should she turn for a life raft? Erin has traveled across the country to talk with other women and answer these questions for us all. Come along in Connected to learn about her journey as well as the stories of women who are probably a lot like you!


My thoughts-

It is sad that we live in a society in which people feel like they are more connected than ever via technology and yet are more lonely than ever in reality. Busyness and misplaced priorities are a huge culprit. I long for a world in which Sunday dinners with family and more in person interactions with friends are the norm. I absolutely think it is why there is such a prevalence of depression and why so many people feel so alone. Connected hits the nail on the head several times about relationships- actual real-life, in person relationships, not the superficial all online kind- and the things that have led them to have almost disappeared. Smart phones and Facebook seem to take priority over real life get togethers- something I think many people will regret years down the line-up you can't ever get that time back. The book gets off track several times for me into other subjects when I think the absolute focus should be on how we as a society can get back the community aspect of relationships, but the author's heart is in the right place. This is definitely a subject we should all take the time to think about.

Connect with Erin Davis on Facebook
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www.erindavis.org

A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas Book Review + Giveaway

Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Flyby Promotions. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

You believe your marriage has eternal purposes. You long for it to reach beyond your home and encourage others. But what does it look like to have spiritually intentional relationship in the midst of dirty dishes, work deadlines, and car pools.

In Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas showed us that God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy. Now, in A Lifelong Love, Thomas gives us the practical tools to craft our marriaes into inspiring relationships that breathe spiritual life to others.

Whatever season of marriage you are in, A Lifelong Love  gives you the practical help you need to infuse your marriage with a spiritual passion that will not only change you but will change the world around you.

My thoughts-

I try to read books about relationships and marriage whenever I can. I definitely believe that marriage is a learning process through each season of our relationship. A good marriage is a constant work in progress and A Lifelong Love is a great resource. This book can be applied to a newlywed couple or a more seasoned couple, so it is a great one to have in your home library. The pages are full of sage advice and examples of living your life and treating your marriage beyond the bare minimum. It teaches you not to just go through the motions, but really work at making it into something lovely, something sacred, There are even examples of things that are common occurrences in marriages or things that are different between women and men to help us understand why our husbands might act one way or to explain to our husbands why we might react a certain way to a situation. At the end of each chapter there are wonderful questions designed to really get you thinking, as well as prayers for your marriage. A Lifelong Love is the kind of book that you can revisit and get something out of each time. I know I will be reading this again and I am sure that I will gain something new with each time I read it!

A Lifelong Love is available on Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide.
About the author-

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alifelonglove.com/


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Living the Quaker Way by Philip Gulley (Book Review)

*Disclosure- I recieved a copy of the book from the publisher via Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book:

In Philip Gulley's conversations with spiritual seekers around the country, he discovered that many people are drawn to the ideals of Quakerism though they are unaware of the roots of those convictions. In fact, far more people embrace Quaker beliefs than even call themselves Quakers. Many of us are finding that Quaker values offer an ethical and spiritual platform on which we can build lives of faith and service.

But what is Quakerism- and what difference could tis traditions really make?

Living a Quaker life means fostering contentment in a chaotic world, mercy in an unjust world, and wholeness in a broken world. It means believing in the nearness of God. It means wanting what Jesus wanted. As Gulley wrties, "It is the life, the Quaker way. I urge you to take up and live. By that I do not mean for you to seek out the nearest Quaker meeting and become a member, though you may if you wish. I mean for you to embrace these values, to give your assent and your heart to these virtues, so that our world might be transformed. My interest is not in growing the Quaker denomination. My passion is in growing a world in which peace, love and justice reign. In the end, I am not inviting you to a church, but to a life."

Gulley's writing is both personal and provocative as he challenges us to understand nda practice the spiritual priorities of a beautiful, generous way of living.

My thoughts:

The premise of this book intrigued me from the second I read the above description. I was interested in learning about the Quakers and I also wanted to read Philip Gulley's thoughts on applying Quaker principles to live a better, more peaceful life. I did come away from the book feeling like I had my eyes opened to some new ideas that I hadn't thought of before or had thoughts that I have long held confirmed by someone else feeling the same way. The Quaker's are peaceful people and they are all about serving others, living modestly, having integrity, taking care of others and participating and being a part of a tight knit community. All of the Quaker principles mentioned are examined in detail in Living the Quaker Way. Sulley illustrates these principles by being open and relaying personal stories throughout his lifetime that relate to each. I love how honest the author is, he is not perfect but you can tell he truly just wants to be a good and peaceful person. I did feel like there were great thoughts in this book about making the world a better place, especially the section on community. I found myself nodding my head vigorously the whole time. I truly think if we were more connected, closer knit and relied on each other as our grandparents did with their neighbors and even their families, we would all be a little happier and there would be less of a prevalence of depression.

As far as learning more about the Quakers as people and a group, I really didn't feel this book delivered in that area, but then the point of this book was not to preach Quakerism, but to share ideals and principles that would indeed help this world be a better place. This book isn't one that is trying to convert anyone, but it does what it sets out to do, sharing some great insight. Because of that, I would recommend this book if you are looking to better yourself or just enjoy reading inspiration books.

You can purchase a copy of Living the Quaker Way on Amazon.com.

Oh La La! French Women's Secrets To Feeling Beautiful Every Day By Jamie Cat Callahan- Book Review

*Disclosure-I received a free copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book: 

French women seem to have a special knack for life’s most important things—food, love, raising children. And in matters of beauty and style, they appear to be at an unfair advantage. But the good news is that everything French women know can be learned….

French women are not born more attractive than anyone else. They simply learn at a very young age how to feel beautiful, confident, and sexy, inside and out. It’s an allure that outlasts youth—in fact, some of France’s most celebrated women are femmes d’un certain âge. Experience only makes them more irresistible. Growing up, Jamie Cat Callan had a French grand-mère to instruct her on style, grooming, and genuinely liking her reflection in the mirror. Now she shares that wisdom along with advice from other French women on fragrance, image consulting, makeup, and more, and shows you how to:

*Discover the power of perfume
*Find mentors who will help hone your personal style
*Begin at the ends—hands, feet, and hair
*Choose lingerie that makes you feel magnifique
*Get an internal makeover and nourish your soul
*Embrace your age gracefully and gorgeously

Bid au revoir to Botox, fad diets, and agonizing over every imperfection, and say hello to the truly timeless beauty that comes with making the most of your own unique je-ne-sais-quoi.

My thoughts:

I remember being 19 and being in Paris with my parents and siblings and thinking there is just no place on Earth (at least that I have ever been) that is as beautiful. The cobblestone streets, the beautiful scenery and yes, the people of France. I didn't give much thought to the fact that pretty much everyone that wasn't a tourist there looked well put together and confident, but I do know that 12 years later I am still obsessed with all things French and would love nothing more than to be back in France. This obsession leads me to read pretty much anything about France, so as soon as I saw this book's title I knew I HAD to read it. Reading through each page as Jamie Cat Callahan takes us through her journey through different parts of France with several of her French friends I kept thinking a lot of the stuff mentioned was kind of common sense stuff that maybe we American women just don't take the time to take care of ourselves. Each of her French friends and women she meets along the way in France have different personalities, the one thing they have in common is their confidence in themselves. Some of the greatest advice that I would never have thought of on my own even though it seems so simple is for your style to reflect who you are. Try on different clothes in different colors and styles and see what YOU feel BEST in? That is style advice? Being an individual? It's so simple yet so genius and it clearly works for the French. I think in America we tend to want to copy off of other people's style and there is nothing wrong with copying something you find cool, but feeling comfortable in your own shoes is definitely a huge factor in being able to be confident in how you look. This book was so full of great information and I plan to use many of the tactics the French do for feeling confident and beautiful. I highly recommend this book to any woman who is interested in fashion or feeling more confident in their own skin. 

Connect with Jamie Cat Callahan on Facebook
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It's Not Your Fault by Steve Shenk Book Review & Giveaway

Just the title of this book kind of makes you want to pick it up and see what's in it. We all have fears. I think fear of failure and of being important enough can be pretty high on that list and get in the way of our self esteem or even cause us to not achieve things which we might have been capable of with a different attitude.

Steve Shenk's book It's Not Your Fault and I can Prove It takes an in depth look at the many different factors that go in to how we feel about ourselves and how we see ourselves. It is a fictional account of a man named Michael learning lessons about all of this from someone called "The Guardian " I had a a hard time getting into the book in this format and felt like I would have rather this been a non-fiction book that just focused on the same key points and was just a more direct approach, but as the book went on, the more interesting it got. I especially find some of the middle chapters to be quite intriguing, most notably the chapters entitled Judgement, Approval & Unconditional Love. There is some great insight into this book, and I think that it is a good read for anyone looking to improve themselves.

About the author:
Steve Shenk is a noted food expert, educator, corporate executive, philosopher and forty year entreprenuer in the food industry. During his 30 years building the storable food industry, author Steve Shenk met hundreds of people who shared their struggles and triumphs.As a result, he came to understand much about the human experience. Steve realized that after the basic need of food is met in every person's life, there is an opportunity to go further and even reach magnificence. His new book, It's Not Your Fault, is a compilation of his years of experience with people, families and relationships.

Connect with Steve Shenk at his website

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*Disclosure- I received one or more of the above mentioned products for free in hopes that I might mention it on my blog. All opinions are 100% my own.