This summer I got to dig into some great books, but I didn’t read nearly as much as I normally do. We spent tons of time outside and doing activities, so at night I collapsed into my bed and there weren’t usually any free hours to snag and read during the day. But the reading I got to do, was wonderful.
Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head – This book was a game changer for me. Being an adoptive and homeschooling mom of 3, this was a gem packed full of wisdom about how our children learn the best. I have taken many of the tools from this book and implemented them for my children to set them up for success in their learning journey. I can not recommend this book enough!
When You Rise Up: A Covenantal Approach to Homeschooling – R. S. Sproul, Jr. does not mince words in this one. He is a very firm believer that homeschooling is the parents responsibility and the Bible is our main textbook. His main message here… Education is Discipleship. I really enjoyed this book and it really filled me up to start our school year and remember why we chose to homeschool. It was not for academics, it was to be the main influence on our kids and to walk with them in their journey of faith.
Instructing a Child’s Heart – This might be one of my favorite parenting books ever. I don’t ever read books more than once, because there are so many to read, however I read this one a few times. It is dog-eared and underlined so much that it’s practically the entire book. I loved the wisdom that Tedd Tripp gives about how our job is to persuade their hearts of the wisdom and truthfulness of God’s ways. Our job isn’t to control or manage, but to point them to the joy and hope of a relationship with Jesus. There were so many great role playing type of snippets that I used with my kids as I was reading it. Giving me the words to walk them through Gods desire for them.
Living Well Spending Less: 12 Secrets to the Good Life – I really enjoyed this encouraging book. Ruth did such a great job of giving lots of insight, direction but most importantly grace to all the craziness that distracts us from what we live life for. It refocused me on what was important and she gives great practical tips and direction on how to achieve goals to live the good life. I am really looking forward to her new book 31 Days to a Clutter Free Life coming out September 6, 2015!
Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World – I haven’t actually finished this book but it is so good, I had to include it here. I’ll be honest, it took me a few chapters to get into this book, which may have just been my own distracted mind! But, once I did, I literally couldn’t put it down. It brought me so much peace to read, and Emily’s writing style is just relaxing, and at the same time so engaging I couldn’t put it down.
** Be sure to follow me on Instagram to see what I am reading right now.
Our August Family Read-Alouds
One of our favorite things to do as a family is snuggle up together and read at night before bed. I am loving what we are reading right now.
The Green Ember – This one came highly recommended by the Read-Aloud Revival Podcast and it is such a great story that we just can’t put it down!
Tales of the Ones He Won’t Let Go – This is the third book in the Storyweaver series by Beth Guckenberger and if you haven’t read these, it is a must-read for your family. They are real-life stories about foreign places and extreme struggles and challenges. The stories are woven together by the great Storyweaver, our great God! They are stories of shielding and defending the defenseless in the ways only he can.
Black Ships Before Troy (The Story of the Iliad) – This is our first historical fiction selection for our Veritas Press History course. Its really good!
Imagination Station: Escape to the Hiding Place – This series is our all time favorite and I read these aloud to my 7 year old during our one on one time each day.
Books I Plan to Read in September
Keeper of the Bees – This is a fiction book about bee keeping and World War I. Highly recommended by my friend Abby who never steers me wrong!
Undone by Michelle Cushatt – I have heard this book is so good, but I keep putting it down because I don’t want to be sad. But I am so looking forward to it and being encouraged by Michelle and her journey. Michelle is the podcast host for Michael Hyatt.
For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (this one is set to arrive tomorrow and I can’t wait)
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t): Making the Journey of “What Will People Think?” to “I Am Enough” – my sister gave me this book a while back and highly recommended it. I keep putting it to the bottom of my list but after seeing so many others reading it, I’m going to get to it.
Wind in the Hollow by Amber Haines – This was highly recommended by Ali Worthington and I’m excited to get it started soon.) Hoping I can get a copy for free either at the library or using my Kindle Lending Library.
Parenting the Wholehearted Child – I have had this one for a while and have had a few people recommend it, so time to dig in.
