three months of Reading.....

What I've been reading.... 

This book is all about prayer but I felt that it also helped my parenting.  Years ago I sat under a wonderful teacher named Joy from whom I learned a wealth about prayer as I had the honor to pray with her.  I also had the great joy of praying with a group of teenagers and seeing God's kingdom come in so many ways and in so many situations.  I loved this book and hope to pick it up often as it renewed in me a desire to pray big and pray often in the daily grind of my life.  Again I think it is a must read for parents (though it offers a lot to singles) as it enriched my parenting perspective.

Andrew Murray, my new favorite old author, writes for mommies like me.  This book comes in 31 three to four page chapters all about waiting on God.  Golden thoughts permeate almost every page and the rich language whose cadence reveals Murray's heritage make the keen insights ring with literary beauty.  I'm smitten by the brevity and novelty. 

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 Not so smitten by my current read.  More like Pole axed.  Talk about convicting.  Again pure gold from Reverend Murray much revered by me these days.  Maybe I'll write more when I'm done, maybe not, but so far loving the Spirit speaking through this book.

 What can I say about this gem?  I know I should be more critical but I've just read winners these months.  This book I've read slowly and used it for teaching Sunday School to a motley bunch of 1 to 15 year olds.  They loved it.  I confess that not all chapters strike me with the same punch as other chapters but the idea of the book and again the brevity resound deep as I am parked in the Gospels this year.  There is a method of meditating on scriptural stories (particularly about Jesus) where you read the story each time focusing on your different senses and using your God given imagination to think about sights, smells, tastes, feelings, and sounds.  I don't have a lot of quiet space for this but when I do I feel as though I've met with my Master in a meaningful, unique way.

Now for books that I've been reading this whole time and am going through ever so slowly....

 Enjoying the book in pieces.  I am not sure if it is so helpful for now but it helps me think more about my words and to beg God to put a GUARD over my mouth.  My earthly father constantly and consistently and WINSOMELY quoted scripture to me as a child for which I am thankful.  I want grace and Christ to be on my tongue in a way that is free, natural and winsome for my kids.  The dialogue starts now and this book helps me think long term about talking about God.

 

 

 We are reading and dialoguing through this book with friends and though it cuts like a knife parts of my heart really needed surgery.  Love hate relationship with this book.  Realistic examples sometimes make me cringe but again God is using this book for good.

 I am reading this book with yet another friend............

The party which was two little ones pooping side by side in the bathroom is over and so is my time so post I will leaving this half done but feeling productive for the day.......