2019 Book Reviews : round one

This year has been full on with welcoming a newborn, traveling to Africa and back with said newborn, traveling all over the US for work, homeschooling, prepping for adoption of our sweet daughter, and just making space for life.  So while I love to read, the pace has slowed but the enjoyment hasn't wained. Here are some of the books I've read thus far in 2019.

I hope these reviews are helpful and that you grab some, read them, and then come over and have coffee and talk about them!


The Ministry of Ordinary Places by Shannan Martin

The ministry of the ordinary was an incredible way to start the year! This book calls you back to the ordinary, mundane places of life and there, offer extravagant love, a listening ear, a cup of tea. In a time where fame is somehow a standard of ministry and often the catalyst to the polarization of society, Martin spins a simpler yet more profound narrative...love your neighbor, listen to the world around you with a tender heart, and humbly begin meeting needs. This is a wonderfully written book in a much needed space. 

And bonus: how cute is the cover!?!

Becoming by Michelle Obama

If you have known me for any amount of time over the last 10 years you probably know of my adoration of Michelle Obama. I was so excited for this book to come out and y'all, it did not disappoint! This is one of those books that I slowed WAY down at the end because I just didn't want it to be over! (does anyone else do that?! ha!)  In Becoming, Michelle Obama tells her story from growing up in Chicago all the way to life after The White House. She is honest, genuine, and as always, tasteful and kind. This book will have you turning pages, smiling, laughing, crying, and in awe of the life that our former First Lady has lived. This book gets a ALL THE STARS from me. 

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I received this book as a gift from one of my favorite New York creatives. He is funny, fun, and always gives thoughtful gifts to The Burger clan. I knew very little about Elizabeth Gilbert outside of her famous, Eat Love Pray, so I was excited to read Big Magic. This book was a fascinating look at the creative process from a worldview very different than my own. I was stretched in my thinking, amazed at the ideology she described, and am so glad I took the time to read it. As a creative, I am always fascinated to see inside the world of those who are writers, painters, musicians, and this book did just that.  Elizabeth, chapter by chapter, encourages the creative process by sharing hers and her view of the "magic" behind creating. And while I come to quite a few different conclusions about life, I learned a lot reading this book and am a better creative because of it.

The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile

The Path Between Us is a book designed to help you navigate relationships based on your Enneagram and the Enneagram of those around you. A few years back, although I never wrote a review on it, I read A Road Back To You, of which Stabile co-authored. Having studied the Enneagram through other books in my early twenties, when A Road Back To You began to make the Enneagram popular again, I decided to read it.  I never reviewed it because, since the other author is a four and I am a 7, I didn't exactly love it. (I won't expound on that because I don't want you to read A Road Back To You with my silly thoughts in your head) When I heard Suzanne had come out with her own book focusing more on the positive out workings of the Enneagram numbers, I grabbed my copy right a way.  I know that currently the Enneagram world of podcasts and books is saturated, but this book is worth pushing to the top of your list.  It is great for someone who knows NOTHING about the Enneagram and for someone who has studied it for years.  This book is easy to read, super insightful, and very practical. 

The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Sunshine

The Connected Child is one of those books that has been in my "queue" for YEARS. I have read articles, essays, listened to lectures, and followed the work of Karen Purvis over the years but never sat down and read completely through this famous work. As many of you know, we are in the process of adopting a little girl and this book was required reading assigned to us by our adoption agency. While this book's focus is particular to adopted children, it would be helpful for any parent to read. The Connected Child focuses on helping you parent a child who has had early life trauma. They focus on how to help in aiding your child through bonding and attachment, helping you identify special needs and in both learning and behavior, as well as how to discipline your child in a way that fosters love and care instead of fear. This is a fantastic book and I recommend it to anyone considering adoption! 

The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns

The Bible Tells Me So is a personal account of Enns's journey from a tight fisted "defending" of the Bible to an open hearted honesty about it. This book (and everything I have read by Enns) is such a refreshing look at how defending the Bible is not the extent of which it was created. To open our hearts and minds up to the stories of the Scriptures rather than fight about what it is or isn't telling us, is to get back to the heart of the Bible. This book will be a stretch for my friends who have spent their days defending the Bible, but it is well worth your time to hear from Enns. My faith has only grown deeper and stronger, and my love for Scripture more rich by reading Enns works. I encourage you, if you are a Bible believer or a total skeptic (or somewhere in between), to pick up a copy of this book with an open mind and heart and hear how this journey deepened Enns's faith. 

Hope you find some books to pick up from these reviews!  Thanks for always encouraging me to keep writing these! 

Happy Reading!

2018 Book Review (Part 3)

Y'all. I'm not sure what it says about me that it is August 2019 and I am just now posting my 2018 year end book reviews. It could allude to the fact that I had a baby, or that we've had a crazy travel season, or that I can't tell a lie and just lump these books into 2019 to make it look like I've been an amazing new-mom AND ultra reader, or maybe it is just that I don't make time for the little things that I enjoy, like writing. Who will ever know?

I ended 2018 with wonderful reading and somehow (must be subconsciously) this series of books all match the color scheme of my house! Apparently I was SUPER nesting. Haha!

Hope you take some time to scroll through and maybe pick up some of these to enjoy!

Imagine Heaven by John Burke 

Everyone I have ever known has questions and ideas about Heaven, what it is & what it isn't, who will be there, how will we know, and on and on. So many people/leaders are afraid to give answers, while simultaneously afraid of admitting they may not know. John Burke bravely enters the world and research of Near Death Experiences (NDE) with an open mind to see if what the Bible teaches about Heaven lined up with the testimonies of the hundreds who have had documented NDEs. This book is thrilling and had me crying, cheering, smiling, and in total awe. I have to admit, I was a little (read: A LOT) skeptical about NDEs going into this book, but the stories in this book made me so excited for what is to come. If you have ever lost a loved one, been afraid of life after death, wondered what the Bible actually taught about heaven, this book is for you.  Having gone through so many significant losses in my life, this book was a sweet balm for the grieving parts of my soul.

Boundaries for Your Soul by Allison Cook & Kimberly Miller

While I have been charged in the past with over stating my excitement by an abundance of superlative, please know there is NO WAY I can over state my recommendation of this book! It has the capacity to do so much healing in hearts and lives that I would buy it for each of you if I had the ability!  Cook and Miller lay out for us how "turn your shame to joy, your anger to advocacy, and your inner critic into your biggest champion." In such practical ways, they give us tools on how to engage our thoughts in a way that leads to action instead of shame. If you have a loud inner critic, if you battle anxiety or being overwhelmed, or if you feel like your darkness is too dark for God, this is a wonderfully helpful book. Grab a copy, buy two (or four) and share the love! 

A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman


A Million Little Ways is beautiful and thoughtfully written. Emily Freeman, an artist herself, opens your heart to the artist with in you. With a little whimsy and a some wonderful story telling, she shows you how being made in the image of God, a creator Himself, makes you in your very essence, an artist. What ever your art may be, it is beautiful and significant. She helps you take the mundane and see it as the important elements of the beauty of your life.  


Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts by Brene Brown

If you have been around here for long, you already know that I am an avid Brene Brown reader. Her work has been helping shape my heart since my early twenties and for that I am forever grateful. Dare to Lead is a must read (and really work through with your teams!) for any leader. Vern and I both read it and then we went through it together as a His Voice Global team. While a lot of her work is helpful to your personal life, in Dare to Lead, she takes a journey into working as a team and helps aid you in living wholeheartedly as a leader & team member.  Grab a copy for all your people, and work together to be brave, have tough conversations and live wholeheartedly. 


Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott is one of those authors that makes it hard to write a review. I mean, how do you review such a writer! In Almost Everything, Anne talks with such candor about just about every topic you could imagine, taking you into the depths of her despair and back out by offering her timeless inspiration. As a 7, (enneagram talk, hope it makes sense to you!) I ALWAYS have to read Lamott along side an light hearted author, not because she is a downer, but because she is such a candid realist that it makes my 7 heart wince. Her works always grow me and give me eyes to see things in a new light and her prose is, as always, impeccable. 

Remember God by Annie Downs

I am regularly amazed at the skill in which Annie Downs invites you into her life with such vulnerability yet does not over share to a bunch of strangers. In Remember God, Annie takes you on a journey through some parts of her life that didn't turn out they way she had always hoped. She lets you in on the struggle to see God in the midst of it all and in her usual sweet-hearted way, guides you to her anchor through it all. I left this book feeling like I had just had a friend over and we talked about the deepest things of life while simultaneously having a cup of coffee and laughing hysterically. This is a great read and a wonderful audio book! 

Thanks for always reading my reviews! I would love to hear what y'all have been reading! And *hopefully* I'll get some book reviews up from THIS ACTUAL YEAR! 

Happy Reading!

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"

End of Spring and All of Summer Reads!

Summer is over and Fall is beautifully making its way to the midwest! Here are reviews of the other six books I read over the spring and summer, as promised in my last blog post.  I hope you find some fun reads to add to your Fall reading!  I am about 2 books into my fall books and would love to know what you are reading as I make my choices for fall and winter!!

Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning

Brennen Manning is by far my husband’s favorite author and because of that I have read everything I can get my hands on by Manning. His words speak straight to my husband’s soul and so I want to know ALL THE THINGS. This book, however was somehow one I missed. I thought I had read the books, watched the films, all things Brennen, covered, check. I’m going to be honest here and say I would not have read this book had it not been required reading for our HVG staff.  BUT had I not, I would have VERY MUCH MISSED OUT.  We read through this in a space of our life that was crazy busy and not very consistent. So reading this was a challenge becauese I wanted to give it my entire head space but often only opened the book with 1/3 of my brain J. In true Manning fashion, all his writing requires is for you to take a deep breath, open your heart and read. He does all the work with his provocative question asking and prolific stories. I have so much to say about this book, but if you cant find a copy (its not easy to get a hold of sometimes) than pick up anything by Brennen Manning and be challenged and encouraged.

You Are Free by Rabecka Lyons

Rebecka Lyons does it again! You are Free beautifully and vulnerably stories through Lyons quest towards freedom, specifically freedom given to her by God. Her previous book, Free Fall to Fly, stories your battle with anxiety so profoundly and openly that it aided so many to a freedom in that area.  You Are Free opens up the idea of freedom beyond the area of anxiety to all the areas of your life. She speaks to the rat race of feeling like you need to meet every one's expectations and gives you tools to know how to throw off self doubt and condemnation. At the end of each chapter she gives easy to work through questions to help you along the journey.

Hands Free Life by Rachel Macy Stafford

Rachel Macy Stafford, New York Times Best Seller and blogger, know to many as The Hands Free Mama, wrote this book with a desire to encourage people to put down all the distractions and see the people right in front of them. Stafford gives 9 intentional habits to help you live, love, connect, and dream at a richer level. Hands Free Life is easy to read and full of helpful, practical advice.  Stafford shares stories of how she has applied each of the 9 habits, making it easy to connect with her suggestions.

Braving The Wilderness By Brene Brown

Y'all. Stop reading this right now and click on the link and buy this book! Or run out to the book store and grab it! The message in this book is so important to the cultural climate, especially in America, today. Brene Brown, a research professor in Social Science, urges connectedness and belonging, both to yourself and to others. She shows us the cultural effects of our individualization and the shame responses we have that result in a lack of belonging. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 are crucial concepts for us to learn as we navigate this modern world. The chapter titles tell it all :: Chapter 4::  People Are Hard To Hate Up Close. Move In. Chapter 5:: Speak Truth to Bullshit. Be Civil.  Chapter 6:: Hold Hands. With Strangers.  Brown encourages us to get to know people who do not think like us and shows the negative cultural implications of surrounding ourselves with only like minded humans. I can not stress enough how helpful and encouraging this work is. I highly recommend you add it to your reading list...soon!

Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker

If you are looking for a fun book that makes your feel like you are talking to your best friend, this is your jam! Jen Hatmaker is HILARIOUS as always, but in her brilliant way, makes you think hard about the how's and why's of life. This book is full of camaraderie and encouragement. She tells stories that make you laugh until your side hurts and cry the ugly cry. We got the audio of this book to listen to on our long haul across the US because my husband loves listening to and reading Jen's writings just as much as I do. This book guided us into wonderful conversations. Jen helped us look at our life and be tremendously grateful for our friends and loved ones. She helped us have courage for hard things, chuckle at things that were hard that shouldn't have been, and grapple with some cultural issues. ALL IN ONE BOOK. You will love this book. Get it and enjoy it with some friends!

All The Pretty Things by Eddie Wadsworth

This autobiographical account of Eddie Wadsworth’s life growing up as the child of a broken home, finding herself in situations almost unbearable to hear, is a must read. A fantastic story teller, Wadsworth helps you see into her life growing up in between an acholic father who lived with family in a trailer park and a single mother who was doing her best to get her kids out of the life they had and into a better one.  The author does an fantastic job of taking you along on her upbringing and writes in a way that helps you see and feel the things of her childhood. Her journey to finding God and growing into adulthood will pull you in and by the end you will feel as if you are longtime friends. This resilient child became a tenatious adult who loves the Lord and is trying with all her might to see All The Pretty Things.

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