Lisa notes

5 Links, Books, and Things I Love – April 2019

By LisaNotes April 2, 2019 Life updates, Links I like 38 Comments

Every month I share my list of Favorite 5’s.

  • 5 interesting things online
  • 5 articles about books or podcasts
  • 5 pictures of things I love (and yes, at least one will be my granddaughter)
  • 5 blog posts from the month

What is bringing you joy in April?

5 Links, Books, and Things I Love-2

1 Second Everyday

[If you can’t see the 1 Second Everyday video, click here]

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5 Things Around the Web

1.  Why Do We Ask God for What He’s Already Given?
by Brad Jersak

God has already forgiven us, given us mercy, blessed us with his constant presence. So why do we keep asking him for those things again? Jersak responds.

2.  Win a Free Ticket to This Online Conference
at DoNotDepart.com

Ticket-Giveaway-at-DoNotDepart.com

Here are 4 ways to win a free ticket to the Enjoy God’s Word online conference taking place April 23-25 from your own home, hosted by Katie Orr. Deadline to enter the giveaway is Thursday, April 4.

3.  Teach Kids What to Do Instead of Only Saying “Sorry”
by Michelle Woo

We want our children to say “I’m sorry” when they hurt someone. But what else?

4.  When a Player Goes Down

Auburn family prays for okeke-2

“Our guys said — as soon as he went down — they said, ‘Let’s pray.’

“I think in those moments, you begin to see what these guys are made of, both teams, the fabric,” Coach Bruce Pearl said. “We started to pray. We asked God to watch over our brother. And Carolina did it, and our guys did it.”

Auburn’s Chuma Okeke, our star player, tore his ACL in the middle of our Sweet 16 appearance. (Watch Coach Bruce Pearl’s emotional response after the game.)

#DoItForChuma quickly popped up as a Twitter hashtag. And Auburn won the next game, too! Now Auburn is going to the Final Four! It’s a big deal for a football school to make it this far in the basketball tournament. We’re very excited.

5.  100 Things to Throw Away Now

Things like: window bill envelopes, expired batteries, dried-up nail polish, etc. Just seeing this list helped me throw away quite a few things.

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5 Things with Books

1.  6 New Nonfiction Books Perfect for Spring Reading

Here are 6 new books picked by some of my favorite authors (Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Daniel Pink). The Next Big Idea Club sounds like an interesting book group.

2.  How to Declutter Some of the Hardest Things of All: Books
by Jennifer Geddes

Ugh. I know I have too many books, but it’s hard to get rid of any of my friends.

3.  Why Many Introverts Are Drawn To Writing (And Are Really Good At It)
by Jenn Granneman

Not all writers are introverts, but many are, including J.K. Rowling, John Green, Agatha Christie, Charlotte Brontë, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, Homer, Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, George R.R. Martin, Ayn Rand. Why does writing appeal to a certain type of person?

4.  Recommend Reading 2019
by Farnam Street

This is a good recommended reading list that also includes older books. I also like looking at their past lists. (The “new” books on the old lists are more available at the library by now.) See Recommended Reading for 2018 and Recommended Reading for 2017.

5. 3 Books I Recommend

Here are 3 non-fiction books I recommend from my own readings last month.

3-Books-Recommend-March-2019

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5 Pictures of Things I Love

1.  Tornado Cleanup

Although I don’t use a chainsaw like Jeff, I’m still glad I get to participate in tornado cleanup with our PAR group. They always need helping hands to drag limbs to the road, etc. On this trip we worked through Samaritan’s Purse.

jeff chainsaw PAR-2

I got to meet Monica on our trip to Columbus, Georgia. Her front yard was covered in broken trees after the tornado came through. She had quite an amazing story and is an incredible woman.

monica and lisa-2

PAR Tornado Cleanup Columbus GA-2

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2. Stan’s AU Funeral

If you picked up on it above (we’re going to the Final 4!), we are big Auburn fans around here (and okay, we have quite a few Alabama fans here also). Nobody has been a bigger Auburn fan his whole life than my friend Stan. For his funeral, his daughter suggested orange and blue clothes for those who had it. Stan would have loved seeing that (and hopefully he did see it). There were also Auburn stickers available for everyone to wear.

AU stickers

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3. And for his birthday . . .

The day after Stan died, he would have turned 60 years old. So the Four Corners (including Kathy, Stan’s wife) went to Outback and celebrated his life. He is leaving a huge vacuum. We all have our own special and funny memories with him.

4-corners

stan's cake

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4.  Took My Grandbaby to the Zoo for the 1st Time!

Jenna and I met Morgan and Riley at the zoo. We had a wonderful trip introducing her to the animals she had only seen in books. Hopefully it’s the first trip of many to come.

birmingham zoo

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5. Just for fun – 636 Months Old

We’ve all seen the pictures from new moms of their babies at 1 month, 2 months, 10 months, etc. So this meme made me laugh out loud.

636-months

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5 Things on the Blog

1.  Make a Spiritual Growth Notebook + More

Do you keep up with your spiritual history? Learn how to make a spiritual growth notebook. Coming soon at Enjoy God’s Word 2019 Conference.

2.  What Are Your Two Fish?

God is still writing His story. Bring your two fish. How God started House of the Harvest. Review of Adam Walker’s book,Two Fish.

3.  Here’s to the Healers

Here’s to the nurses, doctors, caregivers. Thank you for what you do with your hands. But also for what you do with your hearts. We need the healers.

4.  3 Things to Do with Your Stuff

Do you have too much stuff? What are you supposed to do with it all? See how these parables relate to our stuff.

5.  When God’s Plan Isn’t Our Plan

Do you find it easy or hard to release your own plans when God surprises you with a different plan? He is still trustworthy.

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What was a highlight from your March? What do you have planned for April? Please share in the comments.

previous Links and Books

On the Blog – March 2019

By LisaNotes March 31, 2019 Archives No Comments

Here are brief summaries and links to blog posts from March 2019.

“You’re My Little Sweet Pea” – Children’s Book Review

By LisaNotes March 30, 2019 Book reviews 2 Comments

Because I often call my granddaughter my little sweet pea, I was drawn to this book, You’re My Little Sweet Pea.

Its whimsical rhymes and beautiful illustrations by Kit Chase make it a delightful choice to sit and read with your child or grandchild.

“Your giggle always melts my heart.
You changed my world right from the start.
And when your little hand holds mine,
I know I’ll love you for all time.”

Every child needs to know they are special. The words we choose to convey that uniqueness may differ, but the sentiment is the same.

“Sweet child, you will forever be
my heart, my love, my Little Sweet Pea.”

You're My Little Sweet Pea

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My thanks to BookLook Bloggers
for the review copy of this book

 

Make a Spiritual Growth Notebook + More – Coming Soon

By LisaNotes March 29, 2019 Miscellaneous 20 Comments

Make a Spiritual Growth Notebook

  • How do you keep track of your spiritual history?
  • Your Bible notes?
  • Your memory verses, prayer lists, spiritual milestones?

While we often keep up with our medical histories or educational records, we often neglect documenting what God has done in our spiritual lives.

In less than a month, the Enjoy the Word 2019 Conference will begin, April 23-25.

Enjoy God's Words Conference make a spiritual notebook

I’m excited to be sharing a break-out session there on “How to Make a Spiritual Growth Notebook.”

We’ll learn how to create our own notebooks to keep up with our spiritual timelines, sermon notes, book studies, etc. By proactively remembering God’s faithfulness in the past, we grow our faith in God for the future.

Remember the past

Physical reminders of spiritual truths

$10 Off Now

If a conference from home interests you (it’s all online!), get your ticket to the Enjoy God’s Word Conference in the next few days by April 1 while it’s still $10 off. On Tuesday, April 2, the early-bird pricing goes away.

There will be over 20 sessions to watch and participate in, plus 6 sessions by Katie Orr on Philippians.

To celebrate, Katie Orr is giving away a free swag bag with goodies on her site. Your chance to win is here.

More Sessions

Here are a few of the other sessions. Once you purchase your ticket, you own all the sessions for a lifetime. You’re free to watch or rewatch them anytime from your own computer. You’ll also receive a digital viewer’s guide to accompany each session.

  • From Bitter to Better
Kela Nellums

Learn how to stop complaining about your circumstances, quit comparing yourself to others, and start allowing God’s Word to give you new perspective.

  • Across the Gap
    The Value of Multi-Generational Bible Study
Teri Lynne Underwood

Exploring the biblical framework for and real-life value of engaging in multi-generational Bible study. This session includes ideas and tips for connecting women across generations.

  • Transforming Our Thought Lives to Places of Hope
Lara Williams

Understand the power of your thought life and receive practical training in taking your thoughts captive to truth.

  • The Comfort of God’s Word in Our Loneliness
Amy Hale

Learn how to discover the hidden blessings and powerful lessons in your lonely seasons of life, through God’s greater perspective.

  • Keynote Sessions on Philippians
Katie Orr online womens conference sessions

This six-part teaching series will help you understand the key passages in the book of Philippians.

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Questions or comments? 

I participated in this conference last year and really enjoyed it the sessions and the live Facebook groups. I look forward to spending time there again this year.

3 Books I Recommend + Video Review – March 2019

By LisaNotes March 26, 2019 Books I Recommend, Video Book Reviews 36 Comments

Even though I spent a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms in March, I didn’t read much.

But here are 3 books that I did finish and that I can I heartily recommend, including a 1-minute video review.

3 Books I Recommend March 2019 Lisanotes

Books I Recommend

NONFICTION

1. Two Fish
Discovering the God of Immeasurably More
by Adam Walker

[click here if you can’t see 1-Minute Video Review]

two-fish-adam-walker

Here’s a glimpse into both the practical and the spiritual sides of my friend and Christian brother Adam Walker. Both sides are inspirational. Both sides are what makes House of the Harvest work so beautifully as a food pantry in our community. Read the book and you’ll also discover other sides to Adam: humility and appreciation and godliness and more.

“We know it’s the food that brings people. If there is no food, there are no families at the door. If there is no food, there are no volunteers. If there is no food, there is no opportunity for ministry to be done every Saturday morning at 9144 Wall Triana Hwy. in Harvest, Alabama.

But God continues to provide the food, and as long as He does, we will continue to model seeking Him with all of our being and loving everyone as perfectly as we are capable, even if they aren’t like us. Prayer, Love, Food…in that order. It’s what we do.”

Read my full review here on Two Fish

2. Tell Me More
Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I’m Learning to Say
by Kelly Corrigan

Tell-Me-More-Corrigan

It wasn’t what I expected. It’s more a series of stories (I obviously didn’t read the subtitle). But once I settled in, I enjoyed the musings of Kelly Corrigan on life and death and everything in between.

“I was lucky to know Liz that well, to know anyone that well. You can’t be really loved if you can’t bear to be really known.”

The 12 hard things to say? They are:

  • It’s like this.
  • Tell me more.
  • I don’t know.
  • I know.
  • No.
  • Yes.
  • I was wrong.
  • Good enough.
  • I love you.
  • No words at all.
  • Onward.
  • This is it.

3. The Time Is Now
A Call to Uncommon Courage
by Joan D. Chittister

The-Time-Is-Now

“Our world waits for you and me, for spiritual people everywhere—to refuse to be pawns in the destruction of a global world for the sake of national self-centeredness.”

Whew–and so it begins. This book is heavy. But hopeful. Sister Joan Chittister brings a challenging voice that she wants us to echo.

“We are here to seed the present with godliness so that others may someday reap the best of what we sowed.”

Read my full review here on The Time Is Now

READING NOW

  • Blindspot
    Hidden Biases of Good People
    by Mahzarin R. Banaji
  • The Universal Christ
    How a Forgotten Reality can Change Everything We See, Hope for, and Believe
    by Richard Rohr
  • Shameless
    A Sexual Reformation
    by Nadia Bolz-Weber
  • Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram
    A Handbook for Harmony and Transformation
    by Adele and Doug Calhoun, Clare and Scott Loughrige
  • The Fifth Risk
    by Michael Lewis
  • The Christian Atheist
    Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist
    by Craig Groeschel

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What good book have you read this month? Please share in the comments.

My books on Goodreads
More books I recommend

What Are Your Two Fish?

By LisaNotes March 25, 2019 Book reviews 14 Comments

“We had no idea what we were getting into. It was never any part of the plan . . . but it would prove to be a decision that would change our lives. It would change our view of God. It would change the way we saw the world. And we weren’t looking for any of that.”
– Adam Walker

Only Two Fish

They saw hungry school kids. They saw families in need. They saw a God ready to move.

So Adam and Jennifer Walker did something.

They collected food, stored it temporarily in a small school closet, and handed it out to kids for the weekend.

But it wasn’t enough. All they had were two fish to feed a multitude of people.

Adam shares the story of what happened next in his book, Two Fish: Discovering the God of Immeasurably More. It’s challenging. It’s personal.

And it’s true. I know because I saw it.

I see it still.

Bring Your Two Fish - Adam Walker

Hand It Over

Contrary to the stereotype you may have of Alabama, you may be surprised that our high-tech city of Huntsville, the Rocket City, is full of professionals with big salaries and big houses and big dreams. Aerospace and military technology here bring in the best brains and generate a lot of money.

But the wealth never reaches everyone. Many in our county are among the poorest of the poor. Adam and Jennifer saw our poor every day at Sparkman Middle School where they were both teachers.

So they handed over their two fish to God in a great leap of faith. They began a food pantry in the shadow of Huntsville in our own community of Harvest.

House of the Harvest

I remember its beginnings. The prayers. The donations. The volunteers.

And the hungry people who came to be fed, both physically and relationally.

That was almost four years ago. House of the Harvest is still going strong.  It continues to evolve to better meet the needs of those who line up every Saturday morning. My husband Jeff is one of the many volunteers who shows up next to Adam and Jennifer on the weekends to shine a light in our community.

Jennifer and Adam Walker

food House of the Harvest

Adam has now gathered his miraculous fish stories into Two Fish so everyone can understand that God isn’t finished multiplying our meager offerings. God takes what we give him, and turns it into something bigger than we can imagine.

He did that with House of the Harvest. He can do that with our fish, too.

What do your two fish look like? How can you give them to God?

Quotes from Two Fish

Here are some of my favorite lines from Adam in Two Fish.

“There was no denying . . . God was at work and He was providing in overwhelming ways. It was through all these experiences that I learned that the God of the Bible is the God of today. He loves the same, provides the same, and answers prayers the same.

He is the God who can multiply two fish into twelve baskets of leftovers . . . and that hasn’t changed, and it won’t change.”

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“God had been making plans for that piece of land, that building, and for the Harvest community all those years before. . . . And He showed up at the moment that looked the darkest, the time when everyone thought it just wasn’t going to come together.”

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“For me, I would rather give God too much credit than not enough.”

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“Learning to think as ‘we’ instead of ‘me’ is the key to us accomplishing things that are bigger than ourselves.”

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“There is something special about doing something for someone that can never repay you. Jesus was onto something when He said that 2,000 years ago. Matter of fact, I like to think that if Jesus were around today, He would be in Harvest, Alabama having breakfast at House of the Harvest on Saturday mornings.“

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“All of us, together, on a hill, cannot be hidden. It’s a statement of community.”

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“God is as big as we believe Him to be.”

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When you buy Two Fish (you can get it here from Amazon), proceeds go to Two Fish Ministries to help real people with real needs.

Some of my own lessons from House of the Harvest: