2018 Book Reviews (Part 2)

Welcome back!

If you missed Part 1 of this series of Book Reviews, you can just keep scrolling after this one or click here!

Everybody Always by Bob Goff


Bob Goff did it again! Everybody Always is an endearing work full of intriguing stories of a life lived without fear or worry but rather with full abandon. Mr. Goff is a remarkable story-teller so you will fly through the pages of this book with your mouth dropped open in awe. The pages are filled with stories and teachings from his life marked with love and inclusion.  Everybody, Always. That is exactly what his life embodies. Pick this book up and if you somehow missed his previous book, Love Does, grab that too! You will laugh, cry, and try to retell his stories because you are so amazed at all they entail.

Inspired by Rachel Held Evans

With a subtitle like "Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Learning to Love the Bible Again," I couldn't help but pick this book up, and I am so glad I did! Rachel digs deep into the idea of the Bible being "Inspired" and the answers she came to as she opened her mind and heart to exploring what scholars mean by that. She re-tells rich Bible stories in her own poetic rendition while mixing in parts of her own journey to discovery of these truths. Rachel is a beautiful writer. Her thoughts are smooth, vulnerable, and easy to read, even on very technical topics like this. I really enjoyed this work. It challenged me, encouraged me, and left me wanting to know the God of the Scriptures more.



A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan, MD

I have followed Dr. Brogan's work and research for years but have never actually picked up her book, A Mind of Your Own, until earlier this year. As a Life and Wellness Coach I am often in the position of helping people in their darkest times. Dr. Brogan's research has helped me immensely with this from a medical perspective. A Mind of Your Own is geared toward women who struggle with anxiety and depression and are looking for long term solutions beyond (and including) medication. Dr. Brogan writings are laced with medical research and information but readable for all. She has a personal and vulnerable approach as she tells her own story going from a practicing doctor with a masters in neuroscience from MIT and a MD from Cornell to a new mother struggling to survive postpartum depression. Her science-based, holistic approach helps the reader take a look at everything from blood-sugar to thyroid issues, and explores the link between gut health and the mind. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all! My only wish is that the title was not limited to women because the information inside is for everyone.

Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss

Never did I think I would read a book written on negotiations. I am not a "sales-y" person. I hate feeling like I am asking someone to do something they don't want to do! I had a friend recommend this book and his pitch to me about it was compelling, so I picked it up, and I am better for it. This book opens your eyes to the process of high stakes negotiation and helps you see how, when used for the good of all, common practices of negotiations create better listeners, caring parents, and loving friends. Mr. Voss became the FBI's lead international kidnapping negotiator after spending years as a FBI hostage negotiator. This book is fill with crazy, outrageous stories of using the skill of listening along with the practices he teaches in the book to free and save so many lives. As he teaches each practice, he tells stories of how it has worked and even how it goes wrong. Voss is good about bringing it back to the very practical, everyday reasons to use these skills. This book may not be for everyone but I found it very compelling. I have a feeling will go back to it many times.

Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Regardless of the recent 'negative' review of this book that has been circulating the interwebs, ladies, I hope you take some time to read this book, or listen to the audio. Rachel Hollis has a tremendous way of opening up the story of her life so that you can find yourself in her victories and her insecurities simply because you are human. I have gifted this book and recommended this book to many and when I do I say, "Rachel and I have so very little in common...and I LOVE THAT! The things she loves and that drive her are so far from mine, but I think if we got to have coffee or chat on the phone we'd be BFFs in no-time!" I say this because, while our lives look starkly different, the thread of common grace, the leading of the Lord in insane paths of life, the risks she tells that she has taken, the love she has for her family and her husband, all resonate deeply with me and with SO MANY women of all walks of life!  Rachel is an inspiration to many and has a heart of inclusion...one of my favorite qualities in humanity. Pick up a copy of this. Enjoy her stories and be encouraged. And if you are not a reader...she has a few different really fun podcasts!

Imperfect Courage by Jessica Honegger

Jessica Honegger, founder of Noonday Collection, a fair-trade jewelry brand, wrote a wonderful memoir full of stories from all the areas of her life. Each chapter is filled with tells from her inspiring journey. Jessica invites you in to all different parts of her world with vulnerability and class. If every women I know could pick up this book just for the chapter on sisterhood and supporting one another, the world would immediately be a better place! Honegger's stories from her travels abroad to will tug at your heart. You will cry when she tells parts of their adoption story and gasp out loud at her bravery. You will be inspired to love your friends well, broaden your idea of the world and those who fill it, collaborate with others on the things you love, and give yourself grace along the way. Grab yourself a copy and get one for a friend!


Okay friends! That's it for now! Happy Reading!
What have y'all been reading lately?

2018 Book Reviews (Part 1)

It has been way too long since I sat to write book reviews!

Instead of trying to cover all the books I have read since the last 2017 post, I just chose 12 that I have read this year and divided them into two posts of six reviews. As many of you know, I am a life and wellness coach so a good portion of my reading have been in those fields, so I am not going to bore you with all of those titles. I tried to choose ones that stuck out specifically to me and ones I feel would be great recommendations to the friends who still read these reviews. I plan to add a "2018 Book Review Part 3" and maybe even 4 by the end of the year, but we will see!  For now, here are a few to browse.

I hope these are helpful and that you can find some new books to add to your lists!  

Taking The Word To Heart by Nancy Taylor

This book was an amazing way to start the year! I read this book the first week or so of the year and it set such a great pace for my heart and mind as I approached my spiritual goals for the year.  To be honest, it is hard to be unbiased in my review of this book because Mrs. Taylor is such a life mentor/faith hero of mine. I have looked up to her since my college days and admire her honesty and tenacity. She is an amazing wife and mother (and now grandmother!), which are all things reflected in her writings! Taking The Word to Heart is an incredible handbook on how to memorize scripture in a practical, reasonable, and responsible way. Her approach to memorizing Scripture is deeper than just a daily discipline but rather it is a way to see and hear the heart of God. Grab yourself a copy! 

Love Lives Here by Maria Goff

I was so excited when I found out that Maria Goff had written a book! Many of you know of her husband, Bob Goff, and have been profoundly impacted by his life. I have always wanted to hear what life was like from her side of the story.  This book is packed full of stories of grace, hospitality, real life child-raising, and adventure. Her stories will have you laughing, crying, and leave you wonderfully inspired to love others right where God has you.  "Invite, include, welcome, and celebrate the people around you and you will be doing exactly what Jesus was talking about."



High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard

Brendon Burchard is a world renowned performance coach that has done extensive research on how and why people succeed and do so happily. This book offers up 6 proven habits that help you become a "high performer" in the field of your choice. Brendon is deeply practical, giving you all kinds of take aways and habits to immediately apply to your everyday life. At times you have to do some wading through how awesome he is and how hard he worked to get to this point  kind of  stories, but if you can bare with him through those segments and try to pull out helpful hints within those stories, you will be profoundly impacted. For the most part, his stories are rich with practical advice as he lets you have a sneak peek in to the lives of those he coaches. This book comes with supplemental downloads and videos you can get on his website that are a tremendous resource. 

Culture Care by Makoto Fujimura

Vern and I have followed and been intrigued by the work of Makoto Fujimura for years. I have watched videos, documentaries, heard podcasts, and been fascinated by his art, but never made time to read this book until now. If this is the first you are hearing of Mr. Fujimura, please stop reading this  review and google his name. Watch, listen, and be moved by all you see, you are welcome! In his book, Culture Care, Fujimura unpacks the responsibility we have to feed our culture with beauty, generosity, and creativity and in turn, he contends, we will be feeding our own souls. This book is one to revisit as we wade the waters of current day politics, economy, and society at large.



Parenting by Paul Tripp

I knew going into this book that I would likely disagree, not with the praxis of Tripp's parenting advice, but more with his premise. I was pleasantly surprised that while his premise is much more "reformed" than the stance our family takes, the harshness and sin-centric focus that usually comes out from authors in this camp was not a deeply displayed in this book but rather a gracious, kind tone. I enjoy reading books on all kinds of topics from authors with whom I agree and disagree, and the fun thing to me about this book is that it had both! Paul Tripp is a seasoned parent and has been married for over 45 years. He is full of insight, loaded with experience, and offers this to us in a gracious and freeing way through this work. You will not walk away from this book feeling weighed down by the burdens of raising your children, but you will feel equipped with some practical guidelines as well as freed love your children at each stage while you point them to Christ.

Seeing Is Believing by Gregory Boyd

In this work, Seeing Is Believing, Boyd unpacks for the reader the idea and practice of imaginative prayer. He gently walks you away from the "I have to keep working and trying hard" mentality of spiritual disciplines and towards a restful, healing, and creative approach. Boyd leads the reader in the use of their imagination with the intent to experience Jesus in a real way. He begins the book helping you grasp the use of imagination within prayer for those who are skeptical of it and then takes you through a practical process in which, through prayer, you experience Jesus in a real and meaningful way. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who desire a rich relationship with Jesus. Imaginative prayer opens up the door for deep healing and incredible spiritual growth.

Happy Reading! Stay Tuned for "2018 Book Reviews Part 2"