March 2019 Book Review

Well, apparently, all it takes is a long vacation and I can get through a whole heap of books.

This month, I read SEVEN!

I know, I'm totally late to the game on this one but I say, "Better late than never!"

Like the rest of America, I think Chip and Joanna Gaines are very likeable on TV.

But truth be told, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book.

I was hoping it would be more about their personal life and less about marketing for their business ventures.

I was so pleasantly surprised how much they shared about their relationship, their faith, their family, and their personal setbacks. It was a delightful read and it actually left me feeling inspired and challenged- both with my dreams and in my marriage.

 After reading Magnolia Story, I just had to pick up Capital Gaines. I actually gave this book to Morgan as a Christmas gift 2 years ago and we both ended up reading it on our Maui vacation. In this book, Chip is candid about his good and bad business adventures (always with a sense of humor) and gives you a major pep talk to start chasing after your dreams. I didn't enjoy it as much as Magnolia Story but I'm glad I read it.

Next, I read The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie. As a parent who has always seen the value in reading aloud to her kids, I wasn't sure if this book would just be repetitive information. On the contrary, I found it quite the opposite. It fueled by desire to keep reading aloud even more.

Reading aloud to my children at all ages and stages is time well spent and I will never regret it.

The bonds that we form, the inside jokes, the characters and predicaments we see ourselves in... it's all preparation for life and it doesn't stop just because the kids can easily read for themselves.

Every parent should read this book!

It also comes with a wonderful book list in the back for all ages.

     

 Written in 1888 by J.C. Ryle, this little gem of a book (only about 40 pages long), teaches on Proverbs 23:6, which says "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Of course, this is a compelling call and the highest responsibility as a Christian parent. We need to love our children, point them to Christ, lead by example, and spend our time wisely. In my opinion, this is the ultimate timeless reminder for every God fearing parent.

 With so much confusion about the role of men in our society, it’s no wonder so many parents and teachers are asking questions about how to bring up boys. Why are so many boys in crisis? What qualities should we be trying to instill in young males? Our culture has vilified masculinity and, as a result, an entire generation of boys is growing up without a clear idea of what it means to be a man.

Well, if this isn't the problem to so many of our culture's woes today.

It all starts with the breakdown of the father figure in the family, doesn't it?

That's why it's imperative that we shape our boys into the men God created them to be.

Needless to say, I'm extremely passionate about this. Not only for Zach but for our daughters and the future men they may marry. Dobson not only sites research and data, he also encourages from a biblical standpoint. I thought this was an important book to read. It also left me thanking God for the gift of Morgan and the wonderful father he is to our kids. 😊  

Although not my favorite of his books, I appreciated many of the things Francis Chan wrote about in Letters to the Church. There were parts of it that I totally agreed with. For example, he states that many churches in America give way to consumerism, self-centeredness, and laziness. This in fact, is not what Jesus had in mind when he commissioned the Church in the book of Acts. I can also appreciate the way he encourages everyone in the church to use their gifts, not perpetuating a "serve me" or "entertain me" for 90 minutes on a Sunday morning mentality.

I think this book is useful for all churches. It should make us pause, pray, reflect, and repent, if need be. Every church can improve. I'm so thankful for my church and the people in it!       

Lastly, I'm including my read aloud that I read with the girls. I read books to Zach all day so I won't bore you by posting those but technically, I also read this book last month.

All 500+ pages of it! The middle was kind of slow for me but thankfully, it picked up 3/4 of the way in.
The ending was wonderful! If your kids like mysteries, puzzles, and surprising twists, I'm sure this one will not disappoint. It also has a great cast of characters who are both heroic and heart warming.
The girls have already read the next two books in the series!  

Whew! So that's it for March! 

So far, I've read 13 books this year. I guess I should've made my goal for the year (10) a little higher. It made sense at the time, considering I only read 4-5 books last year (not counting read alouds for my kids).
It seems I'm always looking for ways to squeeze in a little reading here and there now. 

Who knew what you can accomplish when you're not checking your phone all day? 😂