I don‘t know if anything I say can do this one justice. The romance was a slow burning, tender love story that was secondary to the love story between sisters Sadie and Marin. It made me laugh and it ripped my heart out. Read it slowly...and with a box of tissues.

Another hit from Sarah Hogle. He's grumpy, she's sunshine. He wants an animal sanctuary, she wants to restore the house to it's former glory and let it be a hotel. Aunt Violet had a few tricks up her sleeve with her final wishes for Wesley and Maybell, all but forcing them together. Maybell breaks through Wesley's defenses, seeing his anxiety and fear and loving him through it. By the end of the book I was absolutley sobbing.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Charming. Quirky. Oddly relatable. Family secrets abound, and a fake relationship turns very real (one of my FAVORITE romance tropes). It‘s vague...I know. But I don‘t want to give too much away! Read it and you‘ll see why!!

Getting some reading in while I wait for fifteen minutes. My county has expanded the essential workers group to include clergy. The gravity of this moment is not lost on me. The weight. The history. I‘m so thankful.

Exactly what I needed after such a let down in my previous read. This is a classic enemies-to-lovers rom-com. Humor, drama, and a whole lot of heart. Nikki and Callum are fun characters, and they compliment each other nicely, there‘s character growth (which is refreshing after the last book I read!), and a beautiful story. Highly recommend.

I have mixed feelings on this one. It was billed as "wickedly funny", but if there was humor, it fell flat. Somber and almost dark for what was supposed to have been comedic. My favorite characters were the sister and the niece; one spends the majority of the book mad at the main character and the other is pretty detached. Not sure what that tells you. An unsatisfying ending. Was it good? Mostly. I'm not sure it's one I'd recomend though.

I have been tearing through lots of fun, light romances recently. This one is such a shock to the system after some of my recent reads. I‘m holding back judgement until I finish this one....so far, it‘s not quite what I expected...

Charming. Endearing. Strangely empowering.

Another charming installment in the Moose Springs series (probably my favorite of the three!). Funny and heartwarming, with all the charm we‘ve come to expect from the Moose Springs residents.

This book truly surprised me. At first I wasn‘t sure how I felt about the premise...but I found myself softening to the characters as they did to each other. Surprising moments of heart wrapped up in a book that had me laughing until I cried.

A charming follow up to “The Tourist Attraction.” Centered on familiar characters, dealing with grief and healing and what it looks like to be your authentic self.

Finished it at 2:45 this morning. Another one that I just wanted to keep reading! Made me smile from beginning to end....and I had to stifle my early morning laughter several times. Quirky characters, heartfelt moments, and one amorous moose made for an enjoyable read!

Highlighted and underlined the crap out of this book. Wrestled with big, complex feelings about myself and my world, and came away encouraged and thankful. We can do hard things.

Laughed. Cried. Cried some more. Alex had a way of spinning a story, and these stories offer insight and an intimate look into the life of America‘s favorite uncle. He will be truly missed.

Since March, when I‘ve been able to sit down and read for any length of time, I‘ve been escaping into romance novels. This is another light, beach, fun read that kept me up till the early morning hours to finish. Compelling characters, a cute story, with no real-world implications. And I loved it. Highly recommend if you just need something FUN.

A beautiful follow up to “The Friend Zone”. Full of humor and heartbreak. Laugh out loud funny moments and “sobbing into my pillow because it‘s two in the morning and I can‘t put it down” moments. Compelling characters, once again tackling the tough topics - skillfully navigating the ebbs and flows of grief and rebuilding. Five stars. Would recommend.

I haven‘t read much this year. My last post (six months ago🤦🏻‍♀️) was about starting my final year of my program...which thanks to COVID, that didn‘t happen. Which is a bummer...but also meant I wasn‘t traveling cross country during a pandemic. So, there‘s that. Excited to sit down and read this one, as Star Wars has served as a sort of comfort blanket for me for the last few months; the movies, the shows, The Child.

Starting my final year of school. At least for this program. I know that there will be more coming down the road — seminary and a Master‘s program. But, for now I‘m excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that it‘s a graduation date and not a train coming full speed toward me. Here we go. Wish me luck.

I have done very little reading since the Michigan “stay home, stay safe” order went into place and my office closed down in mid-March. I also haven‘t posted here in....a very long time 😂 I‘ve just not been motivated to read. But, I did read Ahsoka after binge watching Star Wars: Clone Wars (that finale!!!). This was a great way to wrap up Clone Wars and lead into Rebels. The author nailed Ahsoka‘s voice and characterization. Highly recommend!!

Started teaching this book last week. We talked patriarchy and refugees and immigrants. This week, we talk about the biblical history of immigration and the dangers that Ruth faced in the fields of Boaz. I‘m the youngest in the class. The only one under fifty. Last week was a tough crowd....praying this week they come with open minds and hearts.

Reading today to get my mind off the fact that I just sent my manuscript to my critique partner....and I feel like I just cut off a limb 😳 I‘m so stressed out knowing that it‘s out there being read 😂 I mean, that‘s the point, but still!!

The wise, beloved wife of David. I‘ve always loved Abigail‘s strength and tenacity and spunk! Defying her fool of a husband, caring for the King and his men, and earning herself the title of his beloved wife. Another beautiful piece of writing, another one that had me reading into the wee morning hours!

There‘s this moment in Redeeming Grace, where Boaz and Ezra, his overseer, are discussing the resurrection of their fields after the famine that ravished Bethlehem. They talk of the promise of resurrection, and I read it through tears knowing that thirty or so generations after Boaz, the Kinsman Redeemer and husband of Ruth, would come the true redeemer. I can‘t recommend this one enough!

Gorgeous. Heartbreaking. Difficult to read. Once again, the author has captured these familiar characters in a way that is captivating and heart wrenching and keeps you coming back for more. I have opinions on the David/Bathsheba relationship that I won‘t hash out here, but give this a read, it‘s phenomenal.

10/10. This book is gorgeous. I‘ve researched Rahab pretty extensively for the purposes of sermon writing and this book NAILS the biblical and historical context, while weaving in a beautiful narrative of this very complex woman and her life and faith! Highly recommend (this one and the rest of the series)!

Give me your best FICTION reads from 2018; I‘m off to the bookstore tomorrow looking for something new to read! ❤️📚

It‘s getting real ya‘ll. This interview has me so nervous, and it‘s more than a month away. But, I‘ve met with my committee. I‘ve met with the people who will be interviewing me, and most importantly, I know who holds my future. I‘ve come this far. This step is scary, but oh so exciting. If you pray, please pray for me in the days leading up to this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I mean...Bethany has done it again. I read this in all of a day. I had. to. finish. Compelling, gripping....heartbreaking. Beautiful. I‘m not a big dystopian fan. This is not your momma‘s dystopian lit. It‘s my favorite of its genre. Do yourself a favor and read this series! I can‘t wait to see what the author has up her sleeve next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bethany‘s writing draws you in from the moment you start reading, and doesn‘t let you go. This is not your usual dystopian novel — it has heart, and warmth, you‘ll laugh, you‘ll cry....you‘ll cheer on the characters. Bethany has a way of immersing you in the story, I felt Evie‘s fear, I felt her sadness....I couldn‘t put this book down and when I finished, I immediately bought the sequel! Do yourself a favor, get your hands on a copy!

Five stars.
I have a lot of respect for Woodward, which is what drew me to this book more than the content.
It confirmed a lot of what I‘d suspected. There were a few things that had me looking like the embodiment of the 😳 emoji. Well written, incredibly well sourced. I‘m horrified by some of what I read.
But I‘m hopeful. I‘m always hopeful, perhaps recklessly so. But I‘m hopeful. November‘s midterms are important folks. This confirmed that.

I probably won‘t say much about this read. Just know this, I‘m 31% of the way through it on my Kindle.......and it lives up to its title. (Picture of my adorable dog, just because)

Starting a new book and enjoying a cup of tea.

“And to claim that one‘s citizenship is in heaven is to say that you pledge allegiance not to any of the kingdoms of the world but to Jesus...this is what Peter meant when he called the church “a holy nation, a people set apart.” I‘ve been wrestling with this lately...

Jesus - despite what folks will try and tell you - was a radical. He broke laws (but it didn‘t make Him sinful, thank you very much!). When I hear so-called ‘spiritual advisors‘ spout questionable (or flat-out wrong!) theology, it makes my skin crawl.

This book could not have come into my hands at a better time. I‘ve been in a mood lately...well, since Nov. 2016 (ugh). I‘ve been discouraged and disgusted by politics. This book, this book is a game changer.

I‘m currently drafting a sermon about Rahab, and let me tell you, the more I dig into her story the more amazed I am in the ways in which God works. Power in weakness is an understatement.

“It‘s hard to wrap your hands around a God who, when asked for a name, says “I AM”. But let‘s not forget that this is the same King who would rather stoop to camping out in the wilderness with the refugee people than get shut up in palaces or megachurches or oval offices.”

Finished Doctrine of Holiness and History and Polity...which means I get to read for fun!! At least for the next six weeks! First up: The Path Between the Seas! I‘ve been to the Canal Zone (a few times!) and it‘s a marvel! This book is already incredible interesting and engaging! I love it!

Folks, will you indulge me for a moment? This isn‘t published yet, it‘s not even close as I‘m technically still writing the first draft....but I have a cover and I‘m so insanely proud of it!!

Also - Story Trumps Structure is my favorite writing book! It helped me discover my voice and I recommend it to everyone!!

Ready to take on Nazarene History and Polity, and Holiness and the Life of the Believer! It‘s gonna be a busy (but fulfilling!!) eight weeks! Let‘s do this thing!!

Hey friends! I have a coworker who is looking to read more fiction. He has come to a few of us to ask for recommendations; he recently finished Ready Player One, loves the Hunger Games and Divergent books. I figured if anybody could offer suggestions it would be YOU lovely humans! Thanks so much!!

I‘ve only just started reading this one, and I can‘t help but get a little teary-eyed at the beginning, reading the descriptions of “trunks and hampers ready for that last journey but never taken.” Everything in Alexander Palace left waiting. The sense of anticipation felt by visitors when the doors opened to the public....lots of mixed emotions already with this one.

It‘s like @ArielLawhon knows me!! I just got to chapter 15 and flipped to the author‘s note....I‘m going to heed her advice and turn back...but it‘s so tempting!! Also - totally in love with this book. It is absolutely riveting! I keep meaning to put it down and go to bed...but just one more chapter! Some one tell me to go to bed, I have to work tomorrow!

My current TBR pile. My next class is Biblical Leadership Principles. Bonhoeffer and MacArthur are my “fun reads”, everything else is for course of study.

About five years ago I picked this up and read it as my summer reading. We drove from Michigan to Florida and back (with a few stops along the way) I was engrossed in the story (and the broadway soundtrack because that‘s the kind of person I am) and today, I‘m crossing the show off of my must see list!

Yes, I‘ve read this one already, but spring training is just around the corner! I was running errands today and it seemed like every place I went had LONG checkout lines....I almost always have my kindle in my purse so I read. And I read. And I read! (Picture from Detroit Tiger fan fest a few weeks ago)

God bless Jackie Kennedy.