I first heard Kate speak at an IF Gathering a few years ago, and have since read both of her books, and in the nicest way possible I’ve learned she just isn’t for me. Her story of losing her daughter is heartbreaking, but I find that her books focus on that a lot even when the theme and content seem like they should be broader. I just don’t resonate with her writing style, and have found both books to be suuuuuper similar to each other, and after hearing her talk, I haven’t learned anything new. Anyway— not for me.

This book is so needed. So heartfelt, so beautiful, so grounded in truth, so solid. It is purposeful, not full of platitudes. It’s stunning and not at all cliche or shallow. I’m so grateful this book exists, for all who are grieving or mourning or walking through a hard season, for all who need comfort no matter the circumstance, for those in dark days where doubt reigns and the Lord and peace feel far away. It was such a balm to my soul as I read it, and I’m so glad to have this at hand for whenever the next storm comes. @kaitlinwernet and team, thank you. A million times over.

I got this one from BookLook Bloggers and loved it SO much. I don’t know much about Nate Pyle but his story and his writing are compelling and I’m so grateful for this book. He shares honestly and openly, and even though my life and circumstances look different than his own, it’s easy to relate and connect with his thoughts. I highlighted entire chunks and pages of this one (and even read a bit aloud in my stories because I was so moved by a passage!) and found it so helpful as someone who has definitely faced seasons where life felt like so much more than i could handle. This is such an encouraging and really grace-filled read for anyone in a hard circumstance or season and one I would readily pass along to friends in rough places.

I’m so glad this book exists. 🙌🏼 It’s such a grace-filled, helpful, balanced, and convicting guide to how to handle these heated and intense political days. Coming from different parties, Sarah and Beth cover the spectrum of thought while giving such wise counsel on how to really unpack our thoughts and beliefs to form clear and researched opinions and then share, debate, and act in ways that are loving, humane, and constructive. I loved the faith angle too, although it wasn’t so overwhelming that those without a Christian background couldn’t also relate. I especially loved the applicable questions at the end of each chapter to help you work through things on your own and find a more comprehensive and grounded position politically and personally. Major praise for this one! 

This 40-day devotional from @jenniesallen is really good — she combines content from her previous books and packages it in a way that works well for brief daily readings and reflections. If you’re wrestling with your purpose or wondering about your calling, this would be such a helpful and encouraging read! I’m all about devos that combine encouragement with challenges and practical application, and this one does that well.

If you’re a believer feeling burned out or a bit lost in your faith, this book is a helpful return to the basics of Christianity and the heart of what life could and should look like as a follower of Christ. It didn’t personally really grab me in this season, but there were a lot of good and thorough thoughts shared that I’m sure will resonate with and encourage many! // ⭐️⭐️— it was okay. (Thanks to @booklookbloggers for this one!)

This has been such a lovely addition to my mornings and evenings! This book is a collection of prayers from all kinds of writers over the years— Protestant, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox sources; from all continents; from the Old Testament; and from each century of Christian history. It’s rich, it’s diverse, it’s not overwhelming at all. It’s thoughtfully curated and collected, and I’ve found it to be such a meaningful addition to my daily quiet times. I appreciate reading these prayers from all kinds of writers, finding that it has helped me get out of my ruts and routines with my own prayer life to embrace new thoughts and new words and new postures for my heart. Highly recommend this book! Can’t wait to keep reading through it as the year goes on.

This infographic Bible is BRILLIANT. It beautifully and creatively illustrates elements of Scripture and helps you to understand and visualize concepts, context, and meaning SO well. (Swipe to see a video flipping through it!) I’m blown away by the intricacies of these graphics and am so glad a resource like this exists for the more visual among us— it’s incredible! So thankful @booklookbloggers sent me a copy of this to review.

Thanks for the free book, BookLook Bloggers! I was curious about this one because I’m a fan of Knox McCoy from The Popcast and The Bible Binge but honestly... I am not “pop-cultures” enough to truly appreciate the art of this one. I was pretty sheltered as a kid and was a 90s baby so most of his references and stories and analogies went straight over my head sadly. That’s not to say this wasn’t well written, funny, or worth reading— it just wasn’t one I personally could connect with! If you’re a movie buff or a little older than I am or you looooove all things pop culture and find them interesting points of references for bigger questions of humanity, life, and faith, you will LOVE this one. I’m so glad he wrote it, especially for those people, and I can’t wait to pass this on to a friend who I know loves this stuff.

Had an hour between my counseling session and an evening event and was glad I had this one in my bag to read! It’s an inspiring and compelling collection of short and easy to digest chapters about how to find your thing and do it well with what you have and where you are. I found it to be a good blend of personal stories and applicable encouragement, and think anyone with a dream to serve or change the world or make something that matters would find this helpful and motivating!