READ: The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst

This was my October book I read. Ya'll it was sooo good! I have to tell you I almost didn't read it because I totally pre-judged the content of this book based on the title. Gasp!

I thought this book was going to be about learning how to say "yes" and "no" to things that people ask of you and I thought to myself I'm already pretty great at that so I probably don't need to read this book.

Wrong!

Although the book is about making wise decisions, learning to say yes to the right things and no to the things that don't it's so much more than that and here's why! 

The Best Yes is about knowing your part in God's kingdom. Knowing his plan for your life, your calling and how to make the best "yes" decisions based on those things. 

I love that so much because to often we say yes to things that we don't really want to do, that we have no passion for, and stuff that we don't really care about only to please someone else or make them happy. Mean while we're not saying yes to the things God wants us to do. The things that he's set aside for us that are waiting for us.

I know I've made decisions before based out of what I think people will say, fear and insecurity. And just left God totally out of the question. One of my favorite quotes from the book:

" If we want his direction for our decisions, the greatest cravings for our souls must not only be the big moments of assignment. They must also be the seemingly small instructions in the most ordinary of moments when God points His Spirit finger saying, Go there."

There are so many good nuggets of wisdom in this book, I know that if you read it you will find that too. For me it opened pieces of my heart and desires that I forgot were even there, it opened my eyes to realize don't just say yes because you think others want you too, say yes because God does. Because it furthers his Kingdom, because it's part of the plan he has for you. 

"A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul."

The Best Yes is about honoring God with the time we have to give. I really love this thought because isn't it so true? I want to honor God with my time and not just fill my schedule because I can. 

I really think this is a book for all women no matter what the stage of life you're in. There's wisdom I think all of us can pull from it. 

If you've read this book I'd love it if you'd leave your own thoughts below on what you learned from it.

If you haven't yet read this I encourage you to read it in this new year! 

Book Review:: Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

When Jesus wrecks your comfortable Christianity. Yup, that pretty much sums this one up! 

Interrupted is like the pre-cursor to Seven, but don't worry if you've already read that one. This was my second book I read in August. 

God has been working on me since the end of last year, forcing me to take a good look at those idols I'd been building. If you don't know what I'm talking about read this post. 

God often does his best speaking to me through written word and music. So it's of no surprise to me that he'd use these words to further wreck my heart (in a good way.)

Stripped down, raw and real Jen really gets to the heart of Christianity. What is the purpose of the church? What is our response as believers and followers of Christ? 

It made me take a look at what I was and wasn't doing in response to scripture. It made me realize even more that what God has been revealing to me in my own personal time with him is real and not off track to his mission. 

I feel challenged and inspired after reading this book. 

One of the lines that has stuck with me in the book is a scene that Jen and her husband play out during an Easter service. When God reveals to them what the church should look like. It's a powerful God moment that I felt chills as I read the words. Pretty raw and real words. 

And my prayer after reading this has been for God to reveal to me how to love people like he does. Tangibly. Spiritually. But mostly to reveal to me how to love on his people that cross my daily path. 

buy Interrupted here.

Book Review:: Seven by Jen Hatmaker

Remember when I told you I read not just one but two books in August?! Welp, it was a full month of Jen Hatmaker reading. I've followed Jen on Twitter & Facebook for a while now, but then I heard her speak at IF: Gathering earlier this year. She was speaking about a lot of the things God was already stirring in me. 

I was excited to pick up her book Seven: An Experimental mutiny against excess. 

What I love about this book is that she took seven areas of her life to examine, and allow God to challenge her in. Which are probably a lot of areas we all struggle with as well. I know I do. Sometimes I struggle with the balance of things, what is my responsibility in these areas? How do I make sense of these areas the way God would want me to? Is there a relation between these areas and God's word? 

The book talks about it all. It's written in diary format, her thoughts along her journey examining these areas of her life and what God wants to teach her about them and himself. 

This book made me think about my own life. My own "excess" in my life. I already knew that this was a year God was stripping me of things that I'd made idols of in my life, so this book was so timely for me during this season. 

God really used it to speak to my heart. I think we're a culture that craves more and we buy into the lies that tell us we need this or that. We can let it get out of hand if we don't have balance, perspective and Jesus. This could be anything really. Anything that pulls your time away from Christ, anything that isn't glorifying to the Lord in your life could be considered excess. 

I am reminded about what "treasures" I'm storing up, and do they reflect in my life how much I love Jesus? 

So go grab Seven, read on and be challenged. I promise you will be.