This week I’m sharing my favorite sanity-saving books from the past year. I’m a sucker for nonfiction and if it changes my life? All the better. Remember that if you want all the time-sensitive sanity savers too, you’ll need to subscribe.
#1 Sidetracked in the Wilderness by Michael Wells
I read this book by the late Michael Wells and discovered that I was trying to live like Jesus instead of letting Jesus live through me. I can tell you that it’s exhausting to try to live like Jesus. If you read one book this year, this should be it, in my opinion. I wrote Homeschooling Where Strivings cease in response.
#2 My Weakness for His Strength by Michael Wells
I wanted more of Michael Wells’s grace-affirming writing and I found it in this devotional. I love these devotions so much that I alternate between reading several at once and saving them because I can’t bear to finish the book. I am so thrilled that there is another volume. These devotions remind me of one of the best sermons I heard at church this year, on New Year’s Eve. Essentially, the message was I didn’t have to change. I was already loved. The change had already been made — not by me but by Jesus’ finished work on the cross. Hallelujah! That’s worth celebrating for this woman who is always trying to be better in her own strength, for all the wrong reasons.
#3 Deep Work by Cal Newport
I owned Deep Work on Kindle for a very long time and didn’t make time to read it. The irony. I got the audiobook and devoured it between working out and getting ready in the mornings. The book doesn’t tell you what your deep work is. In other words, if you’re a blogger, finding content that could go viral on social media may be deep work for you. Instead, deep work is important work that requires focus. The book both inspires us to pursue deep work and makes suggestions for finishing it for lots of different styles. I love the idea of going away to write, but most likely my deep work will happen in the mornings before the kids are up.
#4 Overwhelmed by Kathy Lipp and Cheri Gregory
Overwhelmed is another book I listened to in audio. I loved it. It’s not only helpful but hilarious. The narrator’s comic timing is wonderful. I wasn’t that overwhelmed when I listened to the book. What I appreciated most were the get-real stories from the two women in the book. They battled signing up for too much, difficult people, humiliation and more. A godly perspective with plenty of humor helps the listener feel like she can survive just about anything. Highly recommended.
I’m recommending this book even though I haven’t finished it yet. It is not only a fascinating look inside a chef’s world but an uber-inspiring manual for becoming more productive in your life and work. I plan to write about how to apply the principles to homeschooling. In the meantime, I am lining up my toiletries in the morning, mise-en-place style!
#7 Organize Tomorrow Today by Jason Selk, Tom Bartow, and Matthew Rudy
Organize Tomorrow Today is like having a coach in a book. The chapters are chock full of inspiring real-life examples of achievement and a practical exercise. I incorporated some of its excellent principles into my Organized Homeschool Life planner.
I’m not asking about life after you’ve just had a baby. I’m wondering if you feel like you’re the walking dead, not because you’re so exhausted, but because something is missing in your life. Maybe you’re not Undead, but someone you know is.
My Life as a Zombie
During my first years of graduate school, I staggered around campus exhausted, not because of the work or even the stress, but because I was existing apart from God. I thought psychology could put life into my life and solve my many problems, but it couldn’t. Studying psychology for me, was like a Zombie thinking that devouring brains could assuage the pain raging inside them. My book, So You’re Not Wonder Woman, is about my transformation from Zombie to Wonder Woman through the Super Power of God. Wonder Woman became the object lesson I used to tell women they don’t have to live as Zombies amid piles of dirty laundry, unpaid bills, and broken relationships.
Zombies: The Ultimate Object Lesson
I’ve had many women tell me that Wonder Woman is a powerful word picture for them of who they can be through the power of Christ. That’s why I was excited to read Undead by Clay Morgan. The book not only depicts life apart from God as a Zombie-like existence, it turns the entire Bible into a series of macabre stories that share the Gospel. The book is well-written (I’m a very picky reader), funny (Clay creatively uses footnotes to inject humor), and incredibly informative. He shares a rationale for our obsession with all things zombie (and vampire, too) and gives us fascinating lessons in history and science along the way.
You Need to Get Undead If
You feel like something’s missing. Maybe it’s been a while since you’ve been to church, you’ve been having a difficult time, or you’re just curious about Jesus or the Bible. Undead will encourage you.
You have a child fascinated with zombies or vampires. If you’re a Christian homeschooler, the book would serve as an excellent unit study.
You have a relationship with a young adult who has left the church. Clay speaks directly to the UnChristian generation, but especially to those who have some church background.
You want to learn a method of reaching unbelievers. My sister-in-law teaches story-telling as a means of sharing the Bible with people of all cultures. Even if you could not get someone to read the book, you can learn Clay’s method of turning the Bible into creepy stories–and I mean creepy in a good way!
One Important Note
On page 33, Clay writes, “Most conservative Christians don’t like to consider any other possibility outside of God creating all of existence in six literal days, although I think it’s possible that the origins of the universe aren’t as squeaky clean as that.” He then goes on to make it clear that he does not believe in traditional evolution wherein everything was created by chance. In saying this, he certainly appeals to a culture that clings to the evolution-based premise that the earth is billions of years old, while refusing to agree with a universe that was not created. If someone takes your suggestion to read the book and isn’t familiar with evidence against evolution, I highly recommend the video, The Grand Experiment, produced by our friend, Dr. Carl Werner. Our baby has a bit part in it! This superb material is also available in book form.
Finally, I must disclose that I requested a free copy of the book to review. As an author myself, I know how important social media and reviews are to getting books into the hands of readers, so I wanted to be of help. However, if I hadn’t liked the book, I wouldn’t have given a positive review (unless of course I were a zombie).
Get a Free Copy of Undead
In the interest of getting the word out about Undead (this is the official book page) and also building this blog’s following, I will be giving away a free copy to one of my readers. If you buy and read the book, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon. While you’re there, please review So You’re Not Wonder Woman as well. Reviews are the number one determinant of buying decisions. Have a great Undead day!
Sometimes when people hear that I homeschool six kids, write, and speak, they tell me I'm a Wonder Woman. I'm not going to disagree, but they don't know the whole story.
In honor of the St. Louis Homeschool Expo where I'll be presenting, I've made the real story behind this Wonder Woman FREE! On March 23rd & 24th, click on the book below and you'll be able to read So You're Not Wonder Woman for free on your Kindle, any Kindle app, or your computer (get free app here) regardless of whether you have Amazon Prime.
I hope you are blessed by the book! If you are, I hope you will bless me in return by leaving a review for the book. I can get my book into the hands of more Wonder Woman wannabes if they read a number of positive reviews.
I don't know what took me so long to make my book available for the Kindle when I'm the Kindle queen! My sweet mom bought me a Kindle for Christmas a few years ago and I loved it. When I got an iPad, I loved the Kindle iPad app even more. Lots of women ask me about the ins and outs of Kindles and iPads but they're not usually the women reading my blog, so I won't bore you with that! If you don't have a Kindle or an iPad, you can still read my book for just 99 cents! Just download this free online Kindle reader.
So You're Not Wonder Woman is a book inspired by God, my life story, and the requests of women I speak to. It's a get-real look at women's issues and how God wants to empower us to deal with them. Here is what I have heard from women who've read it:
I can really relate!
I had no idea you struggled like I do
I am so inspired to finally lose weight
I'm ready to get organized
My husband is just like your husband
I love it!
I've read it three times!
I would love for you to read it, too. If you do, please write a review and feel free to lend it to one friend for free (via the Kindle guidelines). If you prefer to order a paperback, I've recently reduced the price by a third to $9.99. It's included in a buy 4-for-3 promotion right now, too. Click on the underlined, colored links above to find my book on Amazon and thank you for reading!
I promised you another book review and here it is!
Years ago, I met Shelley through an online writers group. She was looking for a psychologist to do a little writing for her humorous look at the subject of mental health. I was more than happy to oblige! I read Shelley's book and laughed out loud. That says a lot! I rarely laugh out loud at books.
I got to know Shelley and understood why I was laughing: she is very, very funny! She's the only person who's ever written a Christmas letter that I think should be published! Although the book is funny, it deals with a serious subject that Shelley is intimately familiar with. She does a great job at attacking the stigma by being brutally honest.
The book is funny, Shelley is funny, I had great fun writing for her, but that is where the fun part quit until now. Although Shelley was encouraged by many, many publishers, none of them would take the book and run with it. Shelley gave up. When I had a good experience self-publishing, I told Shelley to do the same. So many people I have mentioned her book to had asked, "Where is it? I want it!" So in fairly short order, Shelley has her book published and ready to sell on Amazon. If you know anyone who's not OK, this would make a great Christmas gift!
Check out Shelley's website to read an excerpt of the book and take time to read her blog. She's a riot. I have no doubt that Shelley will be A-OK with you!
I just have to tell you how excited I am about a great book for women and girls: Sarah's Garden. My friend Deb and my friend Gregg's daughter, Rebecca, have authored a fabulous new book. The story is a parable of God's love for us and the illustrations are stunning. You'll be even more stunned when you realize that the illustrations were done by a 12-year-old! You can purchase it here. Proceeds will provide a scholarship fund for aspiring artists. How cool is that?
It's been an exciting journey to see this book born. Deb is in my writer's group. I heard her use this parable in a talk she gave at our women's retreat years ago. Because of the good experience I had in self-publishing (especially because I'm also a speaker), I encouraged Deb to get it published. Seeing the progression in Rebecca's art has been something to behold! I have a hard time getting excited about my kids' art now, I tell you! She has truly been gifted by God. I'm so proud of how hard Deb worked to get this book formatted for publication. It was a challenge! Deb named the princess in the book Sarah, after her recently departed mother who was also an artist.
Buy this book as a Christmas gift for any ladies on your list (or for you!) and you'll be blessed.
My next post will be about another book recently published by another friend. You won't want to miss it!
I’m a Christian psychologist turned homeschooling mother of six. My life can be a little crazy, so I look for sanity-saving ideas to use and share. I hope you’ll read my About page to learn more.
