Book Review- The Prayer Box

“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~Paul Sweeney

I love books full of adventure, history and/or prophecy, mystery, danger, intrigue, romance, plot twists, etc.……that’s my kind of book! 

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate is NOT that kind of book. 

I’ll admit, it was given to me as a gift from a friend so I wanted to read it for her sake, but when I read the back cover, I was a little disappointed and just decided it was going to bore me to tears. 

Well.

The Prayer Box is a full and sweet story about…..well, a prayer box.  I had never heard of a prayer box before and don’t know that I ever will again, but the idea is a wonderful one.  This is the story of a single mom named Tandi, who moves back to the town of her childhood with her two children to start over and get her life in order.  She is hired to clean an old house that was left vacant by the death of its owner, an old, reclusive woman named Iola.  Turns out very few people cared for the mysterious Ms. Iola and very few ever really tried to get to know her.

When Tandi discovers some beautiful boxes full of letters that Iola had written through the years, scores of them, her curiosity is piqued and she starts to read them.  These letters aren’t to a long lost lover or to a child living far away.  They are to her Heavenly Father.  They are years of prayers given for the very townspeople who had shunned Iola during her life.

The real story of this book is the story of Iola Poole, as told in bits and pieces through the prayer letters.  Tandi’s story just kind of comes alongside it and makes it better.  Tandi’s faith is floundering at best, and she learns more about herself and her God than she ever dreams while reading these prayers written over decades of one lonely woman’s life. 

Lisa Wingate is a well known author and a very good one, and truly, this book does not disappoint.  It’s not one to get the heart racing, but it is one to get the heart feeling.  I recommend it to anyone who loves a good, solid, sweet story that will draw you closer to your loving Heavenly Father and make you feel like you’ve lost a friend at the end.

P.S.  And by the way, to my pleasant surprise, there is, in fact, some mystery and a legit twist at the end!  AND there is a sequel called The Story Keeper that is also very, very good and worth your time.

Happy reading,

Miriam

You Don't Have to be Lonely

Sing with me...."You don't have to be lonely at Farmer'sOnly.com" ....y'all that song and commercial CRACK.ME.UP. Maybe it's our recent move to the country...and the fact that Savannah is nearing what some (not her dad) would think appropriate dating age....but anyway....farmersonly.com thinks they have the loneliness issue solved. Bless their hearts...

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity in our house. As soon as school was out, we enjoyed a week long visit with my brother and his family, then a few short days later my crew left for Peru for 10 days. They came back and just a few days later Savannah left for camp, and now Tucker and Bruce are at camp and we still have a Worship Camp,VBS and finally...vacation! It's crazy!

But most of those activities haven't included me. And I have been alone a lot. Now, before someone hands me a tissue...please don't feel sorry for me. I don't think in my almost 45 years that I had ever been alone for 10 days. I grew up in a house of 6, then college roommates, I married right out of college, had kids...yeah...I have not been alone for that long EVER. So it's been a little wonderful and weird all in the same breath.

But I learned a few things....

1. Like...you don't have to be afraid.
2. Make the most of your time.
3. God makes a great conversation partner.
4. There is peace in the quiet.
5. Getting still before the Lord takes effort.
6. Being alone doesn't have to mean you're lonely.
7. God created us for relationship...and by the time 10 days was up...I was ready for my relationships to come home!
8. You can be alone and be ok...not depressed or stressed or in denial.
9. Being alone can be like a detox for the soul.
10. Being alone helps you appreciate your friendships more.

Bonus...Being alone for 10 days, I also confirmed what my heart already knew...I do not make the majority of messes in this house!

But seriously, sometimes we find ourselves alone. Sometimes it's physically alone, maybe through the death of a spouse or a divorce or empty nest. Sometimes it's emotionally alone...we might not feel like anyone understands, that we are the only ones going through the loneliness, the heartbreak. Here's the thing...we get to choose how we handle begin alone. No, we don't always get to choose aloneness, sometimes it chooses us, but we can decide our attitude and our actions during those times.

And if you find yourself in a permanent state of alone....remember you were made to be in relationship...first with God and then others. Nurture and embrace the intimacy found in alone time with the Savior and then find relationships that honor God and bring others closer to Him. It's strangely fulfilling to pour into someone else and you just might find yourself not so lonely anymore.

Psalm 68:5-6 says:

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in      a sun-scorched land.

God has a plan for those who are alone. And so does the enemy....so be alert to the devil's lies...his methods are so lame...kill, steal and destroy...they never change...he's always going about those three things. He's a devourer. So if you feel yourself being devoured or like something is robbing you from your joy, your life...identify it as spiritual warfare, take God at his Word and fight the enemy with the truth found there. Our minds are powerful instruments. Who will you let control yours? 

Trusting the Shepherd...not the Farmer,

Gina

Fearless- Book Review

“Some books leave us free and some books make us free.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I agree with Mr. Emerson.  Fearless by Max Lucado is a book that can make us free if we will let it.  Of course, it’s not the book, but the message and the applying of that message that will free us.  Fear is a natural human emotion, but just like selfishness or greed, fear must be reigned in and controlled, or it may come to control us, or at the very least, hold us back from our purpose in life.

I’ve never read a Lucado book I didn’t love and this one is no different.  Fearless is a message of hope and courage, and much of it is straight from the pages of Scripture.  The one statement Jesus made more than any other recorded in the Bible is “Do not be afraid”.  This is amazing to me.  He takes our fears seriously, and He knew and knows that fear would be and is a real and debilitating force in many of our lives.

In this book, Max covers 13 different fears, from fear of not mattering to fear of not protecting my kids to fear that God is not real.  I personally identified with every single one of the fears he mentions and was filled with hope and assurance that each one can be combatted with prayer and faith in my loving Heavenly Father.  I was challenged to trust what I know is true, pray like never before and lean into others when I need help.

Here is just a small taste of some of the gems found this book…

~”When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our god.  Can the safety lover do anything great?”

~”Nothing fosters fear like an ignorance of mercy.”

~”Prayer is the saucer into which parental fears are poured to cool.”

~”Storms are not an option, but fear is.”

~”When Christ is great, our fears are not.”

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, whether you willingly admit fear is an unwanted part of your life or not.  You will be blessed and encouraged and may learn how to help those of us who struggle with the very real weight of fear on a daily basis.  This is an easy read and will be worth your time.  You may even want to read it a few times.

Thank you, Max, for another superb book.

Happy reading, 

Miriam

You're Not the Best

You can't be the best, or even good, at everything.

There I said it.

Actually, I've said this to my kids a hundred times...like when Tuck lost a competitive game in Upwards basketball. Or when straight A's didn't come home on the report card after hours of studying and making notecards and memorizing clever rhymes to help them remember the facts. Over and over, I remind my two kids that we can work hard, we can do our best but in the end, someone can still beat us, do better than us, win the game or even out score us on a test. Chances are slim that I am raising the best of the best of the best in everything in the world. 

So we take our losses, our failures or attempts and we talk about it. Did they try their best? Did they work hard? Did they study or practice or rehearse? And if the answer is yes...I give them $5, a participation award, a certificate of completion, an ice cream a high five or a fist pump or a pat on the back and we move forward. We do not dwell in defeat. I want them to know that although man emphasizes the perfect score or the winning team, God emphasizes the attempt, the work ethic, the try. He is even glorified through our losses when we have done our part...our best. So we don't dwell in defeat. What a good lesson, right?

But wait for it....

Ladies....and random man that might be reading this...

What about us? Do you ever feel like you have to be the best at everything? Do you struggle with perfectionistic tendencies? Do you feel defeated when your work doesn't measure up or you don't get the best results? Do you get irritated when someone doesn't recognize your effort?

I remember shortly after Bruce and I had married I wanted to take violin lessons. A lady in our church had an extra violin and knew a teacher who had an opening and so I borrowed the violin and made the call to set up lessons. I practiced....twice daily.. for three weeks. I remember coming home from my lesson that third week and setting up in the spare bedroom of our duplex to practice. And I remember Bruce instantly getting up from the couch to close the door to the bedroom so he wouldn't have to listen (ouch...lol...I'm not bitter). And after practice....he asked me if I really thought I could learn this instrument. I confessed it was much harder than I had anticipate...and I had not yet been able to play a song that you could determine the title. It really was awful. My hands hurt from the strings, my ears hurt from the noise and I was offending the neighbors (I'm sure). So the next day, I made the call and quit lessons and quite honestly, have never regretted it. See, I can't be the best at everything...or even good at everything. And that's no excuse to quit...but honestly...it was terrible.

It can be something as small as trying a new recipe, or keeping house. Do we compete with others or ourselves and get downtrodden in the defeat if the house doesn't look just so southern living, or the cake falls? Or in the bigger things...like marriage and parenting do we expect perfection? Do we dwell in defeat when our kids disobey or are disrespectful, do we beat ourselves up when we have an argument with our husband or the kids? The thing is, while these things are disheartening and many times require us to evaluate the condition of our heart, we have to evaluate our efforts...Did I do my part? Did I attempt to do things right, did I work hard to make it happen? Did I even try?

And if the answer is "yes"....then just like with our kids, we do not need to dwell in defeat. We need to get up, dust the dirt off and continue doing our part. Yes, God is a miracle worker and it's not necessary for us to be doing anything for His will to be accomplished, but walking by faith is an action, and we should be willing to do our part, to be obedient to the things He has called us to do. 

But what if our answer is "no."..what if we aren't doing our part? What if we're being lazy, or 

we're not preparing, or we're not putting forth an effort? What if we are just flying by the seat of our pants and letting the chips fall where they may? Well, get it in gear and do what you need to:

1. Confess your attitude to the Lord. 

2. Ask Him to help you discern the things that you need to be doing better.

*Let go of the things that He doesn't impress on your heart. This isn't an excuse to not do other things, it's a freedom to give your best to the things that matter the most. It's also not an excuse to avoid serving others, loving your neighbor or ministering to the widows and orphans. It's the freedom to discern God's prodding for your life. Don't be lazy, self-absorbed or selfish with your service. Answer His call when He tugs on your heart.

3. Stay focused, work toward your goals everyday.

4. Praise Him when things go right.

5. Find a way to glorify Him when things go wrong. 

And give yourself a high five, pat on the back or fist pump or a good cup o' joe....because progress is progress. God's Word says, "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." It also says, we should "redeem the time because the days we are living in are evil." How we spend our efforts is important. We need to teach our kids to do the hard things, to work hard and then leave the rest to the Lord....and occasionally we need to remind ourselves too.

That's the story I tell,

Gina  

You are Loved...Captivating- A Book Review

“If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.“ Ralph Waldo Emerson

So reviewing books sounds like fun, but how in the world to pick which one?!  So many books, so little time….how true. 

 Ten people can read the same book on the same day and close the last chapter with ten different “take aways”, depending on life stages and viewpoints.  So this review is just my humble little opinion and perspective, based on where I am in life and how my mind works.  I have read thousands of books, but only think of a few as “life changers”.

I read Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge about 10 years ago.  It rocked my world then.  I couldn’t recommend it fast or furious enough.  I bought copies and gave them to friends.  It is in the “life changer” category without a doubt.  I read it again last year and it was every bit as powerful the second time.  I had my then 16 year old daughter read it and it truly changed her life as well. 

It is a book about how my Creator is passionate about me, how He made me a woman on purpose and with a purpose.  It is stunningly well written.  It is a breath of fresh air I didn’t even know I needed.  It is co-authored by a husband and wife team, both who have written best sellers before this one.  The male/female perspectives make if quite unique.  They both share vulnerably, Stasi sharing some of her own story and struggle with truly believing God loves her and always has.  They weave scripture in with daily proof and assurances of God’s personal love and affection for me.

I have heard that God loves me my entire life, but after reading this book, I was convinced.  For the first time, I was able to understand God as the Hero of my heart and the Lover of my soul.  God spoke directly to my heart through Stasi.   I closed the book feeling treasured, beautiful and yes, captivating. 

I highly recommend Captivating to men, women and teen girls.

(P.S.  Ok, so no book is pure perfection, right?  The authors must truly be movie lovers because the book is full of movie examples and mentions, many of which I would not watch, let my kids watch, or recommend.  That’s just me, and it didn’t really take away from the message, just had me scratching my head a time or two.)

Happy reading,

Miriam

The LulaRoe Scandal

I am a lazy fashionista...which I think makes me the opposite of a fashionista...but whatever. I've carried extra weight since way before I could blame it on having children and to be honest, shopping in stores or at the mall over the last few years has been almost non-existent. I just really can find 100 things I would rather do instead. In fact, my most frequent answer when someone asks me where I bought such and such shirt or dress is....wait for it...Amazon. Really??? yes....really.

Until earlier this year...when I started seeing these LulaRoe posts all over Facebook. Have you heard about these buttery soft leggings and blouses and dresses??? I'm pretty sure I was late coming to the party. So a friend was having a Facebook party and invited me...and then I got connected with a dealer consultant that was a sweet as she could be....and then a friend from church started connecting me with people that were having sales...and then I saw a popup party on Davis Street and whipped my car around in such a fashion that would have made the Dukes of Hazard honk their Dixie horn. Packages were arriving at an alarming rate....one or two a week for several weeks in a row...and since I've never been much of a clothes shopper....Bruce was supportive...yet surprised by my compulsive behavior.

It was one night about 8 o'clock that I realized things had gotten out of hand....I was watching a 2 hour live feed on leggings. LEGGINGS!!!! What in the world!!! And although there's nothing wrong specifically with shopping or watching TV or a buttery soft legging extravaganza...it hit me.....I was out of control.

There had been signs...conversations at school filled with talk of these leggings...the conversion of friends who had joined the legging lifestyle...the weeks that went by waiting for the mail lady to deliver the next order, my denial of the scandal of the ripped Lularoe leggings and friends sending me  memes mocking my apparent obsession.

But that night...on the couch with my phone in hand, eating up our unlimited data plan, I was struck with the thought of all I could be doing. The rest I could be giving my body, the planning I could be doing for the next day, the conversations I could be having with my family, the books I could be reading...and the fellowship I was not engaging in because of this crazy legging obsession....sheesh!

And maybe it's not leggings for you..but we all have things we are obsessed with...even good things...things that occupy more time than we ever thought they would or that we would allow. Things that are hard to step away from because something in us can justify our reasons for the obsession. But it's clear, when we step away for just a minute...we have a problem. No, we might not need professional counseling (yet) but we know in our hearts that God isn't pleased with our time management system.

Recently I reacquainted myself with this verse in Ephesians 5:16: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. I'm pretty sure I'm preaching to the choir when I say the world is evil...and even though there are a thousand things on our to do lists, we are to make the most of every moment. In fact, this whole passage in Ephesians calls us to be wise and pay attention so we know how to live. We are to invest our time in holy things...things that build up, things that last, eternal things, Biblical things...Why??? Because the world we live in screams for us to invest in temporal, short lived success and enjoyment. The world/enemy wants us to be fully invested in anything that doesn't draw us closer to Christ. Think about the things that take up your time....family, sports, work, church, friends, fitness, music....any of these things can be used to satisfy us temporarily. Even good things. These things will fade instantaneously when Christ returns...if not before.

Listen, I love LulaRoe....and my leggings....so buttery and soft...but the enemy can use something as innocent as leggings to distract us from the most important things. The better things...the redeeming things. So buy your leggings, shop your malls....but in the end, keep things prioritized..don't let your leggings run your life! Redeem the time.

That's the story I tell....

Gina

Disclaimer- No LulaRoe Leggings were harmed in the writing of this story.