Lisa notes

7 Books I Recommend – May 2018

By LisaNotes May 28, 2018 Books I Recommend, Video Book Reviews 25 Comments

Here are 7 books I recommend from what I finished reading in May, including a 1-minute video review. I also include 3 Honorable Mentions this month. Once a month we share our current reading list at Jennifer’s.

Books I Recommend

1. Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics
A 10% Happier How-To Book
by Dan Harris

I’m experimenting this month with a quick 1-minute video review of one of the books here. (It’s also an exercise in humility for me. This video was no makeup, no prep, no edits.)

[Click here if you can’t see the video]

And here’s more encouragement from Dan Harris about meditating:

“Meditation is unlike anything else you do in life, in that here, “failing”—that is, noticing you’ve gotten distracted and starting again—is succeeding. When you wake up from distraction, that is the magic moment, the victory. And it is a victory of real consequence.”

2. The Sin of Certainty
Why God Desires Our Trust More Than Our “Correct” Beliefs
by Peter Enns

Everything we believe about God isn’t accurate. Can we admit that? We’re human. Or do we put more faith in being right than we put in God himself? This was a great book for my One Word this year: Mystery.

“The problem is trusting our beliefs rather than trusting God.”

“We have misunderstood faith as a ‘what’ word rather than a ‘who’ word—as primarily beliefs ‘about’ rather than primarily as trust ‘in.'”

3. The Way of Abundance
A 60-Day Journey into a Deeply Meaningful Life
by Ann Voskamp

My review and quotes from The Way of Abundance

What do we do with our brokenness? Ann Voskamp has the best little stories with deep insights. This powerful devotional is taken from her online essays and from her book, The Broken Way.

“Nothing is more necessary than finding God and falling in love and deeper into Him. . . . What you are in love with decides what you live for. What you are in love with decides what you get out of bed for.”

4. 42 Seconds
The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions
by Carl Medearis

My review and quotes from 42 Seconds

I love how Medearis gently shows us we can do more to connect with people. It doesn’t have to be complex. In small everyday interactions, we can show Jesus to others. A wonderful book.

“Being kind like Jesus means caring enough to learn why a given question matters to an individual. Which usually means asking another question, and another, and another, and listening.”

5. A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeleine L’Engle

I’ve read this beloved classic novel several times already, but I re-read it again in preparation for seeing the movie. (Have you seen it yet?) I don’t always like the fantasy genre, but Madeleine L’Engle makes it more than just that.

“Don’t be afraid to be afraid. We will try to have courage for you. That is all we can do.”

More on that here, “Don’t Be Afraid to Be Afraid.”

6. Girl, Wash Your Face
Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be
by Rachel Hollis

My review and quotes from Girl, Wash Your Face

Not necessarily new material here, but Rachel Hollis is blunt about reminding us what NOT to believe about ourselves. When we believe lies instead of God’s truths about us, everyone suffers. She encourages us to become more aware of those lies and let them die.

“Have you ever believed that you aren’t good enough? That you’re not thin enough? That you’re a bad mom? That you’ll never amount to anything? All lies.”

7. When Crickets Cry
by Charles Martin

This novel is a sweet story about a broken-hearted heart surgeon who has given up his practice, and his encounters with a little girl who needs a heart transplant. Written from a Christian perspective, it is inspirational without being preachy.

“She opened heavy eyes, tilted her head, and said, ‘Reese, hope lives here, and death can’t kill it.'”

Honorable Mentions

Leaving Time
by Jodi Picoult

You’ll learn a lot about elephants in this novel. This book has an interesting storyline about a family who cares for displaced elephants, but it’s about a lot of other things too, some of which I found interesting, and some of which made me uncomfortable. I liked it, but didn’t love it.

“Lately, she had been afraid to fall asleep. Instead of a nap, Jenna called it the Leaving Time. She was certain that if she closed her eyes, I would not be here again when she opened them.”

Natural Causes
An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer
by Barbara Ehrenreich

My review of Natural Causes

I love the premise of this book: we obsess too much about keeping our bodies alive, or as the subtitle suggests, “Killing ourselves to live longer.” Many chapters were on target and interesting. But other chapters really got bogged down in minutiae. So I can’t give it my full recommendation.

“Still, we persist in subjecting anyone who dies at a seemingly untimely age to a kind of bio-moral autopsy: Did she smoke? Drink excessively? Eat too much fat and not enough fiber? Can she, in other words, be blamed for her own death?”

The Excellence Dividend
Meeting the Tech Tide with Work that Wows and Jobs that Last
by Tom Peters

This is a business book with a great message: put people first, whatever business you are in. Treat your employees right and they’ll treat your customers right. Do everything with excellence. However, the formatting of the book drove me crazy so I only give it a partial recommendation. The font size changed often; there were lots of all caps; much of the book was still in outline form. This distracted me immensely from absorbing the content.

“EXCELLENCE is not a long-term aspiration. EXCELLENCE is the ultimate short-term strategy. EXCELLENCE IS THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.”

Reading Now

A Storied Life
by Leigh Kramer
Everybody Always
Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People
by Bob Goff
I’m Still Here
Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
by Austin Channing Brown
Five Stars
The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great
by Carmine Gallo
What Truth Sounds Like
Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America
by Michael Eric Dyson

* * *

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

My books on Goodreads
More books I recommend

Just 42 Seconds – Short Conversations Matter

By LisaNotes May 25, 2018 Book reviews, Community 12 Comments

Our best relationship moments usually come through conversations.

When we read Jesus’s conversations in the New Testament, we discover how short many were.

According to Carl Medearis, author and minister connecting those in the Arab Middle East to those in the West, Jesus’s recorded conversations averaged only 42 seconds each. (Of course he also had longer conversations; this is just the average of the ones written down.)

Even the quietest among us can have a 42-second long conversation.

In this new book, 42 Seconds: The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions, Medearis goes through ordinary moments in our lives and shows us how to have more meaningful conversations like Jesus did. Without seeming awkward. Without being forced.

“Jesus was a master at making short interactions with people significant.”

I appreciate this book for its simplicity and yet also for its depth.

It might seem simple to be reminded to look up and say hi to people we meet, but how many times do we resist making eye contact or forget to give a greeting? And how often do we miss the connections of these simple things with what Jesus did?

“Our goal is simply for Jesus to be a natural part of our lives and everyday interactions with people.”

The book is divided into four sections.

Be Kind
Be Present
Be Brave
Be Jesus

Each of these sections is broken down into short chapters beginning with a simple instruction of how we stop conversations and a better way to start a conversation instead.

For example, under the section Be Kind, Chapter 2 entitled “Acknowledge the Waiter,” Medearis opens with the Nonstarter (what NOT to do) and follows with the Opener (what TO DO):

The Nonstarter: Ignore those the world considers unimportant.
The Opener: Look them in the eye. Pay attention. Greet them.

He then gives examples of how Jesus acknowledged people, particularly those uncared about, like the poor, women, Samaritans lepers, children. An honest example follows from Medearis’s own life (often including his failures as much as successes).

“You can’t be effective at whatever it is you’re trying to do if you don’t say a warm hello to people. That’s where it all begins.”

Chapter 3 is “Ask Another Question.”

The Nonstarter: Be quick to give answers.
The Opener: Ask one more question.

You see how this works. It’s an easy way to capture our attention and gently prod us into doing better. I always need these reminders.

After several chapters, each section then ends with “Dig Deeper & Discuss” questions. These questions encourage us to live out the suggestions from the chapters as well as give us more scripture passages to read.

The way we love other people (or not) is visible in the way we talk with them (or fail to talk). Our everyday conversations are home base.

Our ordinary conversations matter.

Favorite Quotes from 42 Seconds

“For most of us, it takes courage just to walk across the street and invite our neighbors over for a barbecue. Forget the Navy SEALs or the stuff we see in the movies —we just need to greet Sam and Beth at the mailbox.”

~ * ~

“Go one question deeper by asking, ‘What was that like for you?’”

~ * ~

“By the way, I don’t think these conversations need to ‘lead somewhere’ —like we’re trying to get them to believe in something or to change somehow. I just mean that our exchange leads to better understanding of one another and a more substantive relationship.”

~ * ~

“If you are thinking, I wonder what a good way would be to encourage my pastor or the leader of a country, you might want to start with blessing their children. I know that if you want to win my heart, you pay attention to my kids.”

~ * ~

“Being present for God may be the key to life. To everything. Simply being with him, no matter where we are or what we’re doing, changes us.”

~ * ~

“If you want to be intentionally present with people, try asking two questions: Where have you come from, and where are you going?”

~ * ~

“But I’ll tell you this: without being brave in your conversations and willing to risk rejection or suffering of some kind, you won’t have much reward.”

* * *

Medearis also authored another favorite book of mine, Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism. This book shows how we can talk about Jesus to a world turned off by Christianity.

How easily do you have conversations with other people? Please share in the comments.

My thanks to Tyndale
for the review copy of this book

What Do You Do with Your Brokenness? Use It Abundantly

By LisaNotes May 23, 2018 Book reviews 20 Comments

We’re all broken. Just in different ways.

And that’s okay.

When we accept our brokenness as an offering to the world, by the grace of God, we not only become genuine givers, but we also become healers.

And we ourselves become healed in the journey.

For reminders of this—and for encouragement to live it out—Ann Voskamp gives us 60 small (but large) stories from her life in The Way of Abundance.

If you know Ann’s writings, you know you can’t speed through them, so these short devotionals are wonderful bite-size vignettes of a life well-lived in pursuit of Jesus.

You can pick up these chapters one at a time, as needed, or read straight through. I happily recommend The Way of Abundance for its spiritual wisdom and gentle encouragement.

Quotes from The Way of Abundance

Here are a few of my favorite lines by Ann Voskamp from this book.

“Abundance isn’t about having as much as you want—abundance is about having as much of God as you want.”

~ * ~

“Yes, never stop working hard—but don’t grow tough. Because at the end of the day? Jesus wants our worship more than our work.”

~ * ~

“Maybe we believe in Jesus; we just don’t always believe in Him working in us.”

~ * ~

“Who knew that sometimes if you don’t risk anything—you’re actually risking everything?”

~ * ~

“Every to-do list can be a to-love list.”

~ * ~

“Maybe right now, instead of giving someone a piece of your mind, it’s far better to give them pieces of your heart.”

~ * ~

“The grace that’s in this moment is your manna. Wish for the past and you drink poison. Worry about the future and you eat fire. Stay in this moment and you eat the manna needed for now.”

~ * ~

“It isn’t having that makes us rich; it’s giving. Give sacrificially, live richly.”

* * *

Have you read Ann Voskamp’s books or blog? Please share in the comments.

My thanks to BookLook Bloogers
for the review copy

Dedicated Devices, and Why I Still Love My Garmin GPS

By LisaNotes May 21, 2018 Encouragement 22 Comments

If I’m the passenger in a car, don’t expect me to know the directions next time.

If I’m not driving, I’m paying no attention to individuals turns. I’m either reading or listening or talking or closing my eyes.

Staying focused doesn’t come naturally. My mind flits from this to that. I’m thinking of so many things that I want to do or want to remember to do later.

But sometimes my mind just needs to rest. To zone in on only one thing at a time.

Maybe that’s why I still like my old Garmin GPS. It’s a dedicated device for just one thing.

I know it’s outdated. It’s not current like my Maps app or Waze. It’s not interactive. It doesn’t show me there’s a wreck up ahead or road construction stalling traffic.

But it does one thing well: it focuses on this specific journey.

Once I set my destination, it zeroes in on that intention alone. Miles remaining. Next turn ahead. Estimated time of arrival.

It doesn’t tempt me to check my email or update Instagram or play a podcast.

God is like my Garmin. He zeroes in on his intention. And today, he is focusing on me. On my specific journey. On each step I’m taking. (And okay, the same for you. . . )

He’s not distracted by lesser things. He gives me his perfect attention, his total assistance.

He’s dedicated to my good. It’s for both his good as well as mine.

I can trust him to get me where he needs me to go. He will guide each step. He will arrange my arrival to be right on time.

There’s a satisfaction that comes with single-mindedness. With completing a goal. With ending up in the right place because you kept heading in the right direction.

So even though I do use my phone for directions, as long as my old GPS keeps working, I’ll still occasionally pull it out, too. And turn the other devices off.

A dedicated device has a way of getting me where I want to go with no enticements to look away.

I want to give full attention to this journey I’m on. With my dedicated companion.

* * *

My husband Jeff, on the other hand, still prefers a real map when possible (if he uses directions at all). You? Please share in the comments.

Can I Have Yours, Please?

By LisaNotes May 17, 2018 Guest posts, My stories 2 Comments

She was born this January.

As expected, our new granddaughter was beautiful and sweet and the best thing ever.

But the problem was location.

I dreamed of the same proximity for us that my kids had with their grandparents.

But that’s not our reality.

It reminds me of this story from the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel (read the whole thing in 1 Samuel 4-6; it’s a crazy story!).

When I want what you have but God didn’t intend it for me, it will fall flat. Like Dagon.

Read it all here.

* * *

We’re connecting our own stories with Old Testament stories this month at Do Not Depart.

Will you join me there for the rest of this story?

Stop Believing the Lies – Girl, Wash Your Face {Book Review}

By LisaNotes May 14, 2018 Book reviews 14 Comments

We all believe a few lies from time to time.

Something else will make me happy.
There’s only one right way to be.
I am defined by my weight.

Rachel Hollis has gathered 20 lies in one place. And debunks them one by one.

By using her own life experiences, her wit, and her faith in God, this founder of the lifestyle website TheChicSite.com makes us feel normal again in her new book, Girl, Wash Your Face.

Each chapter in the book confronts a different lie. Here are a few examples.

The Lie: I will never get past this

The Truth:

“But what is the alternative? We live through something crappy, and that’s it? We’re done for?

You cannot ignore your pain. You cannot ever leave it behind completely. The only thing you can do is find a way to embrace the good that came out of it—even if it takes you years to discover what that is.”

The Lie: I’m not a good mom

The Truth:

“Remember that we’re raising our children into the adults they will become. Our valiant endeavor will take us a lifetime of effort. A single day, or even a handful of days, when you aren’t mom of the century won’t make or break your kids.”

The Lie: I should be further along by now

“[Believe] that your life will unfold as it was meant to, even when it unfolds into something painful and difficult to navigate. Do I believe he has a plan? Absolutely.

. . . [Set] goals, not time limits. . . . Big dreams shouldn’t have expiration dates. As long as you’re working toward the things you hope to accomplish, it shouldn’t matter if it takes you a month or a decade.”

Live Awake

While this book may not teach you things you don’t already know, it does a great job of reminding you to stay conscious. Wake up to what you think about yourself and about your circumstances. Don’t let little lies or big lies dampen your enthusiasm for the life you’ve been given.

“I constantly fight the desire to slip back into the role I’ve played for so long. They say the first step is admitting you have a problem, and two years ago I did just that. I learned that I am a recovering workaholic, but through this process, I also learned that I am a child of God—and that trumps everything else.”

* * *

My thanks to Net Galley
for the review copy of this book