| what i read in january

To start of what I read in January let’s talk about what I didn’t finish…

Bare Bones by Bobby Bones…. I will finish this one eventually but I am currently binging his podcast and radio show so….

Girl wash your face by Rachel Hollis…. Guys I don’t get the appeal, I can say that I have officially tried the Rachel Hollis bandwagon and I’m putting it to bed because it’s just not for me. Which is not to say that you can’t be on the bandwagon, but honestly guys so many people “preach” her same message we can just find someone who fits our personality and says it in a way that we get (do you feel me?)….

Now for what I did read, so I finished 5 books for a total of 1,524 pages. I read get this 4 non-fiction and one fiction, two male authors and 3 female! I’m 3 books behind for my yearly reading challenge, but I’m not worried (yet)!

I also read ‘The Stranger Beside Me by Anne Rule’ and ‘Mary of Bethany by Eric William Gilmour’ and when I finish my reviews of those I will update this post but until then you can always follow me on GOODREADS for up to the minute book news...

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR REVIEW!!

| pro-life resources

I’m going to continue to compile this list using this post from The Vanilla Tulip, but until then make sure that you check this post out!!

| three things this friday

1. sleeping at last

   The song “Saturn” especially right now, I just love it so much!! I also really love The Sleeping at Last podcast, Ryan explains why and how he makes the music that he does song by song, episodes are somewhat sporadic (artist **rolls eyes**… says the artist as she updates her somewhat sporadic blog…) but it’s totally worth the sub!

“How rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist”

1.5. hidden

Here’s a bonus for you guys and gals because it just came to my attention yesterday!!! This beautiful short film based on Ryan’s enneagram song ‘four’, honestly it is exquisite … I can’t even form words and make sure that you check out this blog post by the creator explaining her process!

2. father mike schmitz

First of all yes I frequently listen to a catholic priest, no I’m not catholic (I listen to a lot of Catholic Speakers omGOSH, DON’T EVEN get me started on my listening to Sister Miriam James she honestly deserves her own post! )… Second, yes that is an amazing beard but I listen to him for more that his beard, this is probably one of the wisest people that I have ever listened to! This talk about indifference is just completely amazing! ** me to my mom “He’s like the Catholic Steven Furtik.” **Mom, laughing “He really is”

“The Gospel will not advance from a stage. It will only advance through friendships and through family. And if you don’t have time for either, you don’t have time for the Gospel.”

3. unplanned

If you are anything like me and you have just been heartbroken over the recent late-term abortion laws that were passed this week in New York , and it’s hard to know what to do or to find out were to do it, and I am going to try and get a post up this weekend that is full of some resources that we can use to educate ourselves! But for right now here are two things…

1. Sign this petition first posted by Jessica Bevere you can click to read the post or click here!

2. Watch the Sneak Peek below and like and share it! It’s about Abby Johnson, who is a former planned parenthood clinic director, turned Pro-Life advocate!

| 2018 in worship songs

Welcome to my best of the best 2018, worship songs that I completely loved in 2018! In no particular order and without further (that thing you say that I can’t remember … if you remember fill this in later…)

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• prophesy your promise

  I love this song, actually I really loved this whole album and thought they did a really great job. Prophesy your Promise just really stood out above the rest!

“When I only see in part I will prophesy Your promise I believe You, God Cause You finish what You start
I will trust You in the process I believe You, God”

• cover the earth

  I’m usually not the biggest fan of Kari Jobe, but I love this track. I think the best songs that she’s done recently are the ones she does with her hubs Cody Carnes!

“Let the Spirit rise up, let it break through the walls
And beat down the doors, and crash through the windows
And cover the earth, the earth, the earth, the earth”

• lamentations

  boy howdy at the year Jackie Hill Perry had last year. Released a totally kicked butt album, had a baby , released a book and spoke all over the place. Again this was an album that I loved everything and it was a huge toss up between this one and Woman but this one won out!

“I need the shepherd, the staff, the valley
The shadow to pass me
The second Adam
The Alpha
And the pasture to grab me
I need help”

• gabriel’s message

  So not exactly a new song, more of a cover!! But HOLY CRAP this song is so cinematic, it takes me to the story vividly everytime!

“Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head
"To me be as it pleaseth God, " she said,
"My soul shall laud and magnify His holy name."
Most highly favored lady, Gloria, Gloria”

• teresa

  So I love Audrey Assad’s music, this song was written with Mother Teresa in mind and it just so very deep, and meaningful! I love!!

“So I reach out my hands to find You where You have been hiding
Maybe I'll see You deep in the eyes of the dying”

• hallelujah here below

  Song most likely to make me clap and say “YAAAASSS LORD”

• bonus this makes me ridiculously Pentecostal

“And should the fire that once burned bright
Become an ember my eyes can't see
I will remember Your sacrifice
I will abide in Your love for me”

• psalm 23 (i am not alone)

  Song most likely to give me the best kind of goosebumps and also want to join a choir (**rolls eyes I can’t with choir I’m sorry if you are a choir person it’s just not for me)

“He always guides me
Through mountains and valleys
His joy is refreshing
Restores my soul”

• surrounded (fight my battles)

  Song most likely to make me get up and do liturgical tae-bo (it’s like punch dancing but Holy…)

“It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You”

• blackout

  Song most likely to make me pretend that I am in the music video and make me want to dye my hair red again…

“I ride the dawn
It's in the name I was given
Can't get away from the meaning
I'll always rise, I'll always shine”

• pain and grace

  Song that I actually play while in the car and pull over and cry ALL THE TEARS…

“The pain it was worth You know it better
Time was not lost You know it better
I'm here in the silence
Waiting for the moment coming
When you'll walk in and change my mind”

| it's all under control

It’s all under control by Jennifer Dukes Lee, I think would be a really good book for someone who struggles with control issues. Reading this book I discovered something about myself I am not a controlling person, in fact I would consider myself at times an extremely passive person (don’t worry it’s just as unhealthy as being extremely controlling), and please if you have a book about that tell me about it!!! So here’s the deal, I know that people will think that I am full of crap for saying that, and that is perfectly okay I’m not here to control your perception of me.

I gave this book a 3/5 on my good reads which means that Iiked it would recommend it, but it didn’t “move” (whatever that means) me.. I think that this book is written really well, I think that there are excellent tips that’s why I’m recommending it even though the information is not really relevant to me.

| the library book by Susan Orlean

‘The Library Book’ by Susan Orlean is a fascinating dive into a fascinating crime. I gave it a 4/5 on my goodreads! I listened to this book on audio and thought that the performance was very good!

First I will say that this book is probably not for everyone, for instance if you are looking for a book that is solely about the Los Angeles Central Library Fire (photo below) (learn more about that here) then this book is not really for you… At times it seems like Susan Orlean’s is going down a trail that she doesn’t have the maps to, however she always finds her way out of the trail.

I really really enjoyed this book, at it’s core it’s about a fire that burned for 7 hours, but actually it’s about the building, the library it houses, and the people who spend their time there.

I think that this would be an excellent book for someone who loves libraries and books! This is for sure an adult non-fiction book, with some language (nothing excessive).

This photo is from the LA TIMES ARTICLE LINKED

| the underground railroad by Colson Whitehead

This award winning , soon to be Amazon Prime Limited Series, alternate history of the Underground Railroad is my first read of 2019.

Let’s get this out of the way first, I thought that the Railroad, which in this book is an actual underground rail system fell slightly short and was also somewhat unnecessary, however it did paint an interesting picture and wasn’t so fantastical a portrait of an underground railroad that it took you out of the story.

The characters though!!!! Cora, the main character is a brilliant work! Complex, brilliant and strong I can not wait to see what the Amazon series brings! I think that’s all I will say about the characters, I didn’t know much about them going in and I think that is best. Colson Whitehead has crafted an awing portrait of a violent, shameful part of our nations history, a portrait that is thought provoking, but not densely written so that almost anyone could read it and you should!

I gave this book a 4 on my goodreads!

The Underground Railroad is a book about slavery and I think a very true portrait, however that does mean that it includes at times very graphic descriptions of violence and talk of sexual abuse, as well a contextual and historically accurate language.

| FAVORITE PARTS OF 2018

• 2018 was so full of ups and downs… It was challenging but also rewarding, I am so incredibly expectant for 2019 and I can’t wait to share it with you!

1. preach to yourself launch team

I was so incredibly honored when I was on the launch team for Hayley Morgans first book that she wrote with Jess Connolly. So you can imagine how grateful I was to be on the launch team for Preach to Yourself her newest book, if you haven’t read it then please pick it up! Maybe we should do a Read Along!

2. sharing more of my heart & art

Sharing more of my creative side, in very very small ways was also one of my favorite parts of last year. One of my goals for 2019 is to share more.

3. meeting john crist

I bought my ticket to John Crist in September and as time got closer I got more and more nervous about going (social anxiety bro….) But my Dad stepped up to the plate, said that he would go with me, so we went! It was so much fun, he is so much more funny in person than he is online which is really something cause this dude is a hoot on the sosh meeds!!

4. loving me & knowing me

This is something that I will be sharing a lot more about in 2019, my health journey, my spiritual journey and I can’t wait for you to hear and hope that it helps you!

| THE ONES SINGING IN THE FIELDS

I often picture myself standing or lying in a field of wild sunflowers while worshiping. Maybe it's just my love of Sunflowers that always seem to be in full bloom around my birthday which is in the middle of August, or maybe my crazy love of Van Gogh (it’s a problem).

One morning during worship I felt like I was taken to a tangible field but I wasn’t alone like I usually am, all around me were people worshiping! People of all ages, every race, every ability. I asked the Father who are these people?

"These are my hidden ones, the ones who worship while sitting in their cars, in their homes. They have been rejected and sometimes abused, the ones that have been hurt when the enemy attacked their voice and their identity... The people in this field are the pure ones. The true worshipers, the ones who worship in Spirit and in Truth. The ones who have allowed themselves to be renewed by Me. The ones who stopped being victims and started walking in victory!"

So lovelies who read this and it tugs at your heart! We are ] the ones that read the words of David and hear an orchestra we are the ones who’ve discovered the truth that we are his and being his is better than anything the World could ever give!

Stay, Cultivate, Water, Plant, soon you will all bloom😻😻

| OH THE PLACES I’D LOVE TO GO

Travel is a HUGE bucket list item of mine! So much so that I would travel pretty much anywhere lol, but here are a few of my top picks!

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| NEW YORK CITY

| PARIS

| ROME

| ISRAEL

| GRAND CANYON

| HAWAII