Our Adoption Story

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

calling all book worms


Day two of this snow blizzard and I am loving it, having all 5 of us snowed in has been a blast. Dutch Blitz has been played a few times already, chocolate chip cookies made, and we might be going on movie number 3??

I have this stack of books on my table that I have either starting reading or hope to read this year, thought I would start a blog post about what books they are and let you know how they go But also to see if you have read them, need any new reads, or have any recommendations for me!

#1



If you are looking for a group or individual study to guide you through a study of the bible, I highly recommend this find. I am so blessed to get together with a group of women on Wed. mornings. We have arranged for 3 girls to come and meet us at a church in town (that has been awesome for letting us use their building) to take care of all 12 of our kids (with 4 more on the way:)) in the next room so that we can sit and discuss how the Word is changing and challenging us. We have all agreed so far that this study is one of the most challenging, introspective looks at where we are regarding letting the Gospel of Jesus change our lives. One of the chapters is entitled:


"Our need for the gospel: Have you ever said 'its not my fault.'"


This CH is a look at our natural inclination to self-justify, "we all justify ourselves as easily and automatically as we breathe air." It takes a good look at how Jesus came and threatened our self-justifying by "exposing some people's lives of self-justification- a religion based on legal systems, would we be in the crowd shouting to crucify Jesus? Would we cause a commotion because Jesus has thoroughly overturned our religious system, a life of self-justification?..... Self-justification is the fact that at the core of our hearts is this desire to appear better than we really are...."


#2.


This was a gift from this amazing family. It is a journalist's perspective on a Ethiopian woman who is in the midst of global health crisis and how she begins to 'rescue her country's children'. A beautiful read, this has opened my eyes more to the AIDS crisis in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It is gut wrenching at times. It goes a long with a lot of things that Adam and I are thinking and praying about and how we fit into God's redemptive story for these kids.


#3.


At this point I don't have a child that I would classify with "severe behaviors" but this book gives what she refers to as a Love Based approach to discipline and although I haven't bought into everything she is saying (especially for my child, right now) I REALLY like her perspective and ideas.


#4



This is the book on deck for my book club, we meet once a month (well since the holidays its been like every 2 months) to discuss a book. So far it's really good, but I honestly am not to far into it.


These next few are ones I haven't cracked open quite yet but hope to this year....


#5.




#6.


Adam is reading this one right now and is LOVING it, hope to get to it sooner than later.


#7.




My sister is reading this book now by the writer of : A Holy Experience blog and she is absolutely loving it. Cant wait to also crack that open...




Feel free to comment with your reviews on any of these!

3 comments:

jules said...

Radical is awesome! We read it in house church. I listened to David Platt speak last year at Christmas Conference, and just like his talks, the book is so convicting but also really exciting to think of how living with a global perspective of the gospel can truly satisfy us!

Josh, Amy, Olivia, Josiah, Girum, Tarikwa, and Taye said...

I've been recommended Radical recently. I'm hoping our church library carries it soon as I can't justify the outlay of retail book buying for myself. I've also looked again and again at the book by the amazing blog lady --- can't remember how many, but lots of blessings --- and have hovered above the "Return" button many times, narrowly avoiding putting it into an online shopping cart. I need to lobby my church library for severeal of these! Thanks for the awesome recommendations, Valerie!

Suzie said...

Oooooh.... I am currently enjoying two of those picks, but would also like to read the last three.... now I just need to find the time :)