Showing posts with label Monday Inspiration and Encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monday Inspiration and Encouragement. Show all posts
Happy Monday friends! Back in February 2017 I shared that for a while I had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration (especially right now for many people), so I shared my first post (which you can find HERE) and have loved sharing periodically on Mondays ( you can find all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
This week I wanted to share a different kind of Monday Inspiration and Encouragement- some books that I have read over the last couple of years ... there is a bunch of them from all different genres that have been so amazingly inspiring and I thought you might want to check them out if you are looking for inspiration... so here we go (in no particular order):
{one} This book, Irena's Children (the young readers version) I found in a thrift store at the beginning of January and read through it one weekend. I had read the adult version ( which you can find HERE) a number of years ago, but the young readers version intrigued me. To be honest, I thought the book was still a bit tough to read so I would caution the age range of this book, but it was one of the most inspiring books I have read, so I would definitely recommend it to adults! It is an "easy" read (as far as how it is written of course), but the content is so good. The young readers version goes into more detail about the amazing people that surrounded the underground ring that Irena was a part of and it is truly amazing. I kept talking about it all weekend long and can't recommend it enough. You can find the young readers version HERE.
{two} I first read Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge when I was in grad school a number of years ago. At the time it struck me deeply but nearly 12 years later it has spoken to my heart in a deep and profound way that I can't shake. The simple message of Captivating is that your heart is the most important thing in your life and the desires and dreams that you had as a little girl and have followed you into adulthood are things that God has intrinsically wired for you to live. If you feel like your heart is hurting or longing for more, than I can't recommend Captivating enough. You can find it HERE.
{three} I have shared here on the blog before that Robin Jones Gunn is one of my favorite authors and this book, Echoes, is definitely one of my all time favorites of hers. I hadn't read this book in years and re-read it a couple of weeks ago. It was tenderly sweet and a beautiful reminder of how God continues to romance our hearts. You can find it HERE.
{four} I read Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot years and years and years ago but recently this book has spoken to me in some deep and profound ways. While it speaks of relationships in deep ways, it also speaks to those seasons in life where we are waiting. If you are waiting on something in your life- no matter what it is this book will be a huge encouragement to you. I shared with my instagram community the following quote from the book...
"Waiting silently is the hardest thing of all... But the things that we feel most deeply we ought to learn to be silent about, at least until we have talked them over thoroughly with God...When our plans are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always- including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable." You can find it HERE.
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I shared with y'all last in the past the story behind my Etsy Shop, December Caravan and plans to continue expanding the shop in the upcoming year. I also have another dream that has been growing steadily and I am excited to share that with y'all. In preparation for that I have been reading a couple of different business type books...
{five} This first book, Business Boutique, is one that I saw on a friend's instagram feed that I decided to check out. I am honestly still making my way through it because there is a ton of helpful and practical advice. If you are looking at becoming any type of entrepreneur than this book is chocked full of helpful tips and wisdom that you will want to explore. Honestly, this is a book that I will be referring back to often it is really wonderful! You can find it HERE!
{six} It's no secret that here on the blog I have talked about my love for the TV show, the Amazing Race. Years and years ago (on one of the earliest seasons) Blake Mycoskie (the founder of TOMS) was on the show and competed with his sister. Over the years I have admired the work that TOMS has done and have been inspired by the way that it has given back to so many people in need. When I found out that Blake had written a book a number of years ago, I definitely wanted to read it. I am only half way through it but it is definitely an inspiring book if you are looking to start something and make a difference. You can find it HERE.
{seven} One of my favorite magazines to read through is Where Women Create. I love reading the stories of women who have created different artistic entrepreneur ventures and the way that they have come to these places. I always wished that there was a book form of the magazine and so I was delighted to find this book, In the Company of Women. I came across this book in the clearance section of TJ Maxx a while back and started flipping through it and was inspired. There are so many different women doing so many amazing things that it has been inspiring to read through. You can find it on Amazon HERE and if you order today it is FREE on Kindle!
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these books! Over the course of the next several weeks I can't wait to share more of what I am reading with y'all! What about you? What books are you reading recently that are inspiring you? I am looking for suggestions and would love to hear yours!
Happy Monday friends! Today I wanted to share a different kind of Monday Inspiration and Encouragement- some of the books of the summer that I read ... there is a bunch of them and some of them were incredibly inspiring and some I honestly didn't love that much. So here we go by category to make it a bit easier (in no particular order):
Books for the Pleasure of Reading
{one} Beneath a Scarlet Sky
I am wincing and biting my bottom lip a bit as I mention this book. It is amazing... inspiring... horrific... and incredible all in one. It is based on the incredible true story of Pino Lella who is a Italian teenager at the start of World War II and becomes a hero in helping Jews escape over the Alps. I don't even know where to start in describing this book, but as the author mentions the story came to him in one of the darkest times in his life and it had a profound impact on his personal life... I walked away feeling the exact same way. As a disclaimer... parts of this book are incredibly difficult in showing the horrific capacity that we as human can do to each other. But in that horror... courage finds a way to come out. Truly amazing. You can find the book HERE.
{two} Evidence Not Seen
I have shared here on the blog before that I make a point to read this book every summer. Evidence Not Seen tells the story of Darlene who was a young newlywed in the pre-World War II era and her experience as a missionary in the jungles of New Guinea and then her four years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The title of this book is perfect because she truly is honest in her experience of the way that the Lord often appeared silent but His hand was continuously orchestrating protection over her each and every day, providing "evidence not seen". There are so many nuggets of truth and encouragement that I have walked away from after reading this book. Each time I do I am struck again by this woman's faith in God despite her horrific circumstances. You can find the book HERE.
{three} The Rancher's Surprise Daughter
I shared about my friend, Jill's new book, The Rancher's Surprise Daughter which released earlier this summer. The Rancher's Surprise Daughter tells the story of Luc and Cate who are re-connected when Cate shows up at Luc's Colorado guest ranch and introduces him to his three-year-old daughter. I think one of the things that was my favorite about this book (and I don't want to give to much away if you haven't read it yet!) was the character development of two flawed people learning to trust and love each other in a unique and unconditional way. I walked away personally encouraged and enjoyed how it is so sweetly written! You can find it HERE!
I mentioned this earlier this year, but one of my goals this year was to branch out and find some new favorite classic authors. Haha. Honestly, with all of the other books that I was reading this summer I ended up reverting back to some of my favorite classics and other books I enjoy, just re-reading them. This fall I am planning on tackling a few new ones! I can't wait to share!
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Books for blog work
Blogging is such a unique working environment and adventure... I wrote that and just shook my head with a soft smile on my face. As I am approaching my 6th year anniversary of staring this blog, I know that so many people are often confused at exactly what a full-time blogger does. I think most people think (a) we sit around in our pajamas eating ice cream in front of TV typing out a few words and calling it a day or (b) we travel for fun and it isn't much work or (c) really believe that blogging should not be considered a "full-time job". I am sure that there may be these elements for certain bloggers, but definitely not for me and not for the amazing bloggers I know and support. I addressed this topic in depth on the blog this summer- the question of: "What Does it Mean and Look like to Work as a Full-Time Blogger?" which you can read HERE.
I share that because one aspect of travel work trips for me is the incredible research that I do for each trip that I go on. The trip that I was taking this summer (to Alaska) was going to be long and in-depth and so for this 10 day trip I spent approximately 300 hours reading and researching ahead of time (which doesn't include the many conversations that I had with people who live in or lived in Alaska prior to the trip). I found so many amazing books for this trip (you can read my entire post of what to read for so many different genres HERE) but here are a few that were my favorites:
For this road trip that we were taking we were going to be spending the most time in this area so this definitely became one of the most used books that I referred to and consulted for these areas as far as travel books are concerned. Also- this is the only guidebook for these specific areas, so if you are taking a trip here than you will definitely want to get this! You can purchase the book HERE.
I came across this book in antique bookstore in the early summer, shortly after I had made the decision to take the writing trip. Being a former teacher, I love stories of teachers in different areas, so the name and the setting were very intriguing to me and I loved the book. For those that may be interested, the book is a true story of Hannah Breece who came to Alaska in 1904. The New York times said it is: "An unforgettable...story of a remarkable woman who lived a heroic life" and I would definitely agree. If you are interested in the book you can find it for less than $6 HERE.
{three} 81 Days Below Zero
Some of you are already smiling. You know that I couldn't include a list of books without listing one that included the time frame of World War II. This book is an amazing story of a World War II pilot that survives in the Alaskan Frozen Wilderness. As a brief synopsis this book tells the story of 5 army aviators who went out on a routine flight to test their plane shortly before Christmas in 1943. Unfortunately the mission ended in a crash and only one person survived. Leon Crane, the survivor, had all of the odds stacked against him in order to survive, as he was a city kid from Philadelphia and had no wilderness experience at all. With only a parachute for cover and an old Boy scout knife, this book tells the story of his remarkable 12 weeks saga to survive. It is an amazing tale of survival and I definitely recommend it y'all. You can find it on Amazon to purchase HERE.
Maya Wilson, the author of the cookbook and the author behind the blog, Alaska from Scratch, shares over 75 delicious and family-friendly recipes in her book, The Alaska From Scratch Cookbook. Her photography is stunning and when I found her blog before the trip, I was absolutely enthralled.
She seriously is amazing and I think I follow her on all of her social media sites - hahaha. She writes for several different places and she's inspiring and her story of how she ended up in Alaska is just so cool. You can read about it on her blog HERE. As a fellow blogger and author I love seeing when people branch out from their blog and turn their talent of writing into a book so that even more people have the opportunity to read their words. And when it is a cookbook it is a dream... hahaha.
Some of you are shaking your heads smiling because you know that I just love books. And Y'all know I love cooking and cookbooks. *smiles*. But seriously... this one is a keeper and one that is a treasure no matter where you live. You will definitely want to add this to your bookshelf for before your trip and after wards. It is wonderful. This book was one of my favorite finds in researching and I can't recommend it enough. It would also make a wonderful gift as the holidays approach. You can find the book to purchase HERE.
I came across this book in researching for the trip and looking up stories of those who had moved to Alaska and bought it kind of on a whim. It's a bit random for a road trip, but I included it in this honorable mention list, as reading it truly gave me a picture of what moving to a rural part of Alaska would entail and my adventuring heart was curious. I read it very intrigued and then driving on the Denali Highway I found myself laughing and smiling remembering somethings that the author shared. If you are going to be traveling to any remote place on your road trip, this book is honestly an excellent picture of what those who live there encounter. Definitely worth the read, I am sure y'all will love it as much as I did! You can find it HERE.
Again, if you are interested in seeing more suggestions I have for a road trip through Alaska, you can find my post, Best Alaska Books to Purchase for your Alaskan Road Trip: From Culture to History to Travel by clicking HERE!
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Books for Twenty History Lane
Twenty History Lane officially launched this August and it is in the baby stages of growth. I knew that I wanted to create something that would be long-lasting and permanent and would grow as the years go on. Because of this I have been slowly taking my time, building this platform. For this company I read one business book and then also read the three books for The Novel Garden Program for August and September. Here they are...
{one} Audacity
Published in 2016, Audacity tells the inspiring story of Clara Lemlich, a young woman who emigrated from Russia to New York at the turn of the 20th century and whose fight for equal rights led to the largest strike by women in American history. I hate to say this but while I felt that the book has incredible merits for this era in history... it definitely was not one of my favorites. I know many people love this book, but it just was not one of those books (in my opinion) that I would read again. If you are interested in the book you can purchase Audacity where books are sold and on Amazon by clicking HERE.
I am not going to share to many details of the next two books since we are in the middle of reading them for September's Book of the Month Club and there is still time to join in! You can find out more HERE!
{two} Rilla of Ingleside
Rilla of Ingleside, the 8th book in the popular "Anne of Green Gables" series tells the story of Anne's 14-year old daughter, Rilla. During this sweet coming of age book, Rilla dreams of her first dance and hoping for her first kiss but her life is disrupted and changed when her brother's go leave to fight in the "Great War". Originally published in 1921, L.M. Montgomery brings to light the way the war shaped and affected family members during this time.
{three} The Guns of August
The Guns of August, a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, by Barbara W. Tuchman, tells the story of the first month of World War I. Weaving historical details and characters, Tuchman shares the importance of the first 30 days of the summer of 1914 that will determine the course of the war.
You can purchase Rilla of Ingleside or The Guns of August, where books are sold and on Amazon by clicking HERE(for Rilla of Ingleside) or HERE (for The Guns of August).
{four} Start Something that Matters
I actually picked up this book to read for the Etsy shop in the Spring and then realized it would also be amazing for TWL so I read it again this summer. If you are starting something that you want to last and to make a difference then this book has a lot of awesome ideas to consider and implement. Over the years I have admired the work that TOMS has done and have been inspired by the way that it has given back to so many people in need. You can find it HERE.
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Business Books for the Shop
As I have been working on growing my etsy shop these past 6 months I have been taking time to read more and more business books. Here are some of the ones that I read through this summer...
{One} Business Boutique
This first book, Business Boutique, is one that I saw on a friend's instagram feed that I decided to check out. I am honestly still making my way through it because there is a ton of helpful and practical advice. If you are looking at becoming any type of entrepreneur than this book is chocked full of helpful tips and wisdom that you will want to explore. Honestly, this is a book that I will be referring back to often it is really wonderful! You can find it HERE!
{two} In the Company of Women
I shared this in the spring, but I was still working my way through the stories of this book throughout this summer. I love reading the stories of women who have created different artistic entrepreneur ventures and the way that they have come to these places. I came across this book, In the Company of Women, in the clearance section of TJ Maxx a while back and was inspired. There are so many different women doing so many amazing things that it has been inspiring to read through. You can find it on Amazon HERE and if you order today it is FREE on Kindle!
Okay- that was a lot! I am so curious - did y'all read any good books this summer that you would recommend? I am looking for suggestions for the fall and would love to hear your thoughts!
If you are curious about other book reading lists I have done in the past you can find those posts below:
In February of 2017 I shared that I had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so I excitedly shared my first post (which you can find HERE) and have loved sharing periodically on Mondays (you can find all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres. Last time I shared 10 inspiring books to read that I had read so far this year and today I am sharing a mixture of lots of different things and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
{first} There are certain stories that just tug at you- and there is something about the winning of the triple crown that just makes me shake my head and smile. Congratulations to Justify and to his jockey Mike Smith! If you missed it you can watch the race above.
This brief but powerful interview with Mike Smith really encouraged me. I love hearing at 52 how he is the oldest jockey to win the triple crown and yet he seems to be so incredibly humble. Absolutely awesome! What a beautiful reminder that our life and our dreams are not bound by age. Age is simply a number.
Like many others, this story has reminded me of Secretariat and the movie that came out a few years ago about the story (You can find it on Amazon HERE). One of my favorite quotes from the movie is: "This is not about going back. This is about life being ahead of you and you running at it! You never know where is will take you!" and...
"He laughs at fear... afraid of nothing"
{second} I thought I was familiar with every single Elisabeth Elliot quote that existed but I had never heard this one before a couple of months ago. It has really struck me in deep and profound ways and as I shared with my Instagram community a few months back it has been something I have been thinking over a lot. I hope it inspires you this morning as it has me.
{third} Have y'all read about 3 parent babies? I was just told about this the other day (you can read more HERE). I am not sure it necessarily fits here in this post but I keep thinking about it so I thought I would include it. What are your thoughts about this?
{fourth} So I definitely mentioned this last fall but it is worth noting again. Last fall I was in need of amazing music for all of the driving I was going to be doing for the trip that Ali and I took throughout Maine, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. I received a ton of amazing suggestions from J, which to almost all of them I fell in love with, but one that was absolutely perfect for when I wanted music without lyrics was the introduction to rodrigo y gabriela. Recently, as I have been studying for my upcoming test, I have been listening to them a TON. If you haven't checked them out do so now!
{fifth} Have Courage and Be Kind. This saying has been resonating with me this past week. I hope it inspires you as it has me.
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these five things on this Monday! What about you? What is inspiring you recently?
So last February I shared that for a while I had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so several months ago I shared my first post (which you can find HERE) and have loved sharing periodically on Mondays ( you can find all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
{first} I thought I was familiar with every single Elisabeth Elliot quote that existed but I had never heard this one before this last week. It has really struck me in deep and profound ways and as I shared with my Instagram community has been something I have been thinking over a lot. I hope it inspires you this morning as it has me.
{second} Did y'all hear about Dolly Parton donating her 100 millionth book? I was listening to NPR news and read about how she has championed early childhood literacy. Through her non profit program (Imagination Library) every month a free book is mailed to more than a million children (infants to preschoolers). I knew Dolly Parton did a lot of things, but didn't know to much about this aspect of her life. It was definitely a huge inspiration! You can read more about her visiting the Library of Congress and her non-profit, and her future dreams with this program HERE.
{third} I shared in the summer that I am working on a special upcoming project that revolves around World War II and the holocaust. I can't wait to share more about it, but this is definitely an area of history that I am passionate about keeping alive so that it never happens again. This book, Irena's Children (the young readers version) I found a couple of weeks ago and I read through it this past weekend. I had read the adult version ( which you can find HERE) a number of years ago, but the young readers version intrigued me. To be honest, I thought the book was still a bit tough to read so I would caution the age range of this book, but it was one of the most inspiring books I have read, so I would definitely recommend it to adults! It is an "easy" read (as far as how it is written of course), but the content is so good. The young readers version goes into more detail about the amazing people that surrounded the underground ring that Irena was a part of and it is truly amazing. I kept talking about it all weekend long and can't recommend it enough. You can find the young readers version HERE.
{fourth} I am so excited to have an incredible opportunity to head back to Florida and Disney in a few weeks. There is something so magical about Disney and is such an inspiration. I always come away being gently reminded of the beauty of dreaming big- you know? Here is a question for y'all- what are y'alls favorite restaurants in Epcot? I haven't spent a ton of time in Epcot in years and would love to have your thoughts!
{fifth}I have shared this a couple of times but I continue to receive emails so I wanted to share it again. Since posting the above picture on Instagram almost a year ago I have been receiving emails asking what journaling Bible that I use. I use the ESV Journaling Bible (The Interleaved Version). The cheapest that I have found it for was on Amazon which you can find HERE. If you are looking for the non-interleaved version that looks similar you can find it HERE.
To be honest I love the opportunity to do creative things in my Bible, but it is not the Bible that I use every single day. My marked up, tear-stained, scribbled in, highlighted, underlined, etc. Bible is the NIV Bloom Collection Compact Bible (seen in the picture above)- you can find it HERE. There are a variety of different flower covers in the collection (Pink Tulip, Pink Flower, Orange Flower, Purple Tulip, Red Tulip) and the prices range a bit. One of the things that I love is that the Bible is so compact that I can literally take it with me everywhere. It is only 7 inches long about 4 inches wide and is only 1 inch thick. I share that to say that I encourage you to find a Bible that works for you. I know that there is a big push for doing all of these creative amazing things in Bibles, but I also know that some people are not wanting a big Bible like that. Whatever works for you is great.
{sixth}Finally, as many of you know - one of my heroes was Billy Graham. I know for so many of you it was the same. So many things could be said, but one of the stories that stood out to me from his funeral was the story about how the casket was made. If you want to read more you can do so HERE.
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these six things on this Monday! What about you? What is inspiring you recently?
Several months ago I shared that for a while I had a dream of sharing some Monday inspiration and encouragement on the blog. Life is hard and I know full well that in the difficult times it can be hard to find inspiration, so several months ago I shared my first post (which you can find HERE) and have loved sharing periodically on Mondays ( you can find all of the Monday inspiration posts HERE) different things that I have found to be really inspiring and encouraging from all different genres and hope that it will encourage and inspire you for your week!
It is hard to believe that it has been a couple of weeks since my last Monday Inspiration and Encouragement post. If you follow along here on the blog then you know that life has been busy completing different writing projects from an amazing work/writing trip through the North Eastern US, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. I have shared about the US portion of our trip and New Brunswick and today my first post about Prince Edward Island went live. It still seems surreal that that beautiful trip took place. It was just lovely. Today I am excited to share just a few things that have encouraged and inspired me the last couple of weeks and I hope that they inspire you and make you smile!
{first} I thought I was familiar with every single Elisabeth Elliot quote that existed but I had never heard this one before this last week. It has really struck me in deep and profound ways and as I shared with my Instagram community has been something I have been thinking over a lot. I hope it inspires you this morning as it has me.
{second} I shared with my Instagram community that yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to connect with other Lyme patients through a restorative yoga class that was being held at a yoga studio. The leader provided a time for each person to share a bit, to connect, and then we spent about an hour doing restorative yoga. A year ago there was no way that I would have been healthy enough to do this, but yesterday was such a gift and I have been so grateful for the opportunity.
If you are a Lymie or a person who struggles with chronic illness or pain and are wishing that you could do yoga but feel that you physically can't I definitely recommend restorative yoga with a kind and compassionate teacher. Many of the moves can be very adaptable and it was truly not only relaxing but very energizing. I looked on Amazon and there are a couple of different options for DVD's and Books HERE and HERE.
{three} So I definitely mentioned this last time but it is worth noting again. I was in need of amazing music for all of the driving I was going to be doing for the trip at the beginning of the month. I received a ton of amazing suggestions from J, which to almost all of them I fell in love with, but one that was absolutely perfect for when I wanted music without lyrics was the introduction to rodrigo y gabriela. Have y'all heard of them? They are a Mexican classical guitar duo and are amazing. You can listen to one of their videos HERE and find their tour schedule HERE. They are actually coming to the Vermont area this weekend and I so wish that I had someone to go with to see them!!
{four} So people's creativity continues to inspire me and truly just make me shake my head at the amazingness (is this a word?!?) of people. I re-opened the shop a couple of weeks ago (after my annual 10 day fall break) and the range of custom order requests that I have received has just really inspired me. From different color combinations to different requests it has been so much fun to create these orders. I am reminded that we can find beauty in so many different places if we look for it.
I hope that you are inspired and encouraged by these four things on this Monday! What about you? What is inspiring you recently?
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