Book Reviews: Planning and Purpose Books

As I mentioned in my last post on Journals and plans for my 2017, there are three books I read and/or are reading that have been a help to me in this planning stage. One I borrow from a friend, one from the library, and one I bought used online. I'm glad I borrowed some because they were good, but not enough that I wanted to own them. But let me preface a little bit of what lead me to read these books.

I guess a few months ago I began to asses where I was in life, the season God has me on in life. I began to ask myself questions like:

"What is really God's plan for me right now?"

"What is my purpose for right now, besides being the best wife and homemaker I can be?"

"Or is that my only purpose?"

"What am I really supposed to be doing with my life, since I'm not in the raise-children and homeschool them stage of life?"

Clearly my main purpose in life is to bring glory to God,but I was wondering how He wanted me to go about that. I'm still learning. But I somehow knew that sitting around twiddling my thumbs, waiting for children to show up so I could homeschool them, wasn't the answer. I'm married and have a home, so obviously Wifey and Homemaker come at the top of the list of purposes in life. And honestly most days that keeps me really busy, partially because I have a wacky rhythm (aka lack of schedule). But I believe when God creates us, He wires us individually for the tasks He has for us to accomplish in our lifetime. I'm not wired like you. I'm not even fully wired like either of my sisters, we may have some of the same wires and desires, but God gave us different passions. And passions is what it really came down to for me. So let's look at these three books and what I learned from them along with my reviews of them.

Make it Happen By Lara Casey
This is the book I borrowed from my college friend whom I share the same name with, Anna. I had seen this book and this lady on Pinterest and saved the book on my to find and read list, and when I saw it on her shelf and asked her how it was, she said "It's great, borrow it and read it!". So I did.

Make it Happen is largely in my opinion a book on the testimony of Lara Casey, how the Lord worked in her life and grew her spiritually giving her a purpose and goal. The last five chapters were the most helpful, the more practical side of the book. It touches on how to evaluate your life and pray and seek how God wants to use your life and in the lives of others.

"The only yes that matters is God's.

Following God doesn't mean the path will be easy;

It means it will be meaningful.

When we choose to follow Him, we can trust

that He has a very good plan for our lives

- and here's the key-

He can change anything. "

pp.76-77

"The goal of life is make a life that means something.

He (God) makes the mundane meaningful and gives

us deep contentment in challenges. His purpose gives

us a focus. Following God doesn't make us perfect;

it makes us purposeful,

fillinf our emptiness and equipping us to take

focused action on what matters."

p.135

The book was a good read, because it's always interesting to hear other's testimonies, but not necessarily one I plan on rushing out and purchasing for myself. This is mostly in part to the aforementioned fact that only four chapters were really practical, so I took notes. I will say that I am curious to read her second book she just finished, since her first was slightly a autobiography.

A Million Little Ways By Emily Freeman
My sister had picked up Emily Freeman's book Grace for the Good Girl because she heard it was good, so when I was searching authors at my local library a few months ago I came across this book by her. The green watercolor cover and the words at the bottom right hand are really what caught my eye, "uncovering the art you were made to live". I am creative, or at least I think I am. I mean I have tons of creative vision in my head, if only I had more time and motivation to bring it to fruition.

But my life, as art? I was intreiged. I requested the book and was so excited when it came. I learned some things and it really helped my guide my thinking on purpose in a way I hadn't ever thought of before. She talks about looking at your past and how it shaped you but also how it revealed your art and purpose even as a child. Some of the principles she taught on this were eye opening.

"When you watch a movie that brings out emotion in you,

consider the moment the tears rushed with stinging fingers,

circling your eyes. Pay attention to the word or phrease that

called the magic water out. What is the memory it brings to mind?

Our tears are tiny messangers,

secret keepers of the most vulnerable kind,

sent to deliver a most important message -

Here is where your heart beats strong,

Here is a hint to your design.

Here is a gift from your inner life,

sent to remind you of those things that make you come alive. "

I'll be sharing some of what I learned about myself in the coming months, some of which will result in some changes. Freeman also talks about how we may not be created to just do one thing, your "art" may be many different things.

"I don't believe there is one great thing

I was made to do in this world.

I believe there is one Great God

I was made to glorify. And there

will be many ways,

even a million little ways,

I will declare his glory with my life."

And this, Dear friends, is what I want: to glorify God with my life however He lovingly fashioned me to do it best. My life is a portrait from the Master Artist, beautiful or ugly, based on how I chose to live it.

A Million Little Ways was a good book but also one I don't NEED to have as part of my collection. Again, I took notes and learned great things, but not enough of a WOW! factor to make me buy it.

 

Own Your Life By Sally Clarkson
Can I just take a moment and talk about Sally? She's not on the same page as us with some things, like Bible version and some music choices. But can I just say that her heart and love for the Lord are beautiful? Last year I saw a book entitled The Lifegiving Home and went ahead a spent the money to buy it full price instead of waiting to buy it used. To tell you the truth, I think I have preordered it because it wasn't quite out yet. What a Life-Changing book! I cannot recommend it enough. A book I wanted to highlight every page, every paragraph, and make we want to shout "Amen". I recently entered the world of podcasts also, mostly because I knew Sally had one (At home with Sally), and her show is just as encouraging as her book. So while making Amazon orders this Christmas, I threw this book in my cart for about $2.

Since this year my Theme is A year of Intention, I thought it would be great to grab this book and read it. It's about living your life everyday with spiritual intention, own your life, and love your life with the Lord. "Quite simply, owning my life means living up to my spiritual potential." There are five parts to her book, and chapter within each part:

1. Barriers to Owning Your Life: Don't Settle for a Mediocre Life

2. Owning Your Vision: Mapping Your Life Purpose

3. Owning Your Life by Giving God Control: What Only He Can Do

4. Owning Your Life by Partnering with God: Attitudes and Actions That Transform

5. Owning Your LIfe by Loving Well: Creating a Lasting Legacy

I am not finished reading this book yet, I'm getting ready to start into the last part. But so far the book is so good. Most of the material is basic stuff we know, but often need reminded of, that she offers with fresh perspective. Her writing style is like a fireside chat with a cup of tea(which she so dearly loves) where she shares her struggles and how her Saviour came through, with an underlying deep passion for home. I think that's what Ilove most about her- her understanding of the importance and impact of home. Even though I haven't finished reading OwnYour Life I'll go ahead and say it's a good book for your bookshelf. I still love Lifegiving Home most, but this one is full of practical truth also. For those that are parents, she and her husband have written several parenting books. I haven't read any of those but I bet they are good too. I'll leave you with a few excerpts that stuck out to me so far.

"The keys to living a life of purpose aren't all that mysterious-

they're spiritual principles found in the Bible. Yet they must be followed

intentionally with the understanding that God has hidden

potential in your spiritual DNA.

That potential is lake a seed waiting to be planted

into the circumstances of your life

When you commit to following God through your attitudes

and actions, that seed will sprout

and you will begin to thrive."

p.xix

"Our hearts tell us we were crafted for an eternal place,

for courage, for ideals that draw the best from our existence.

Epic movies capture our imagination because of our

desire to be part of an epic story ourselves.

We were made to be heroes in our own stories."

p.23

"We've been given distinct personalities,

circumstances, capacities, and potential to invest

and from which to craft a life of excellence."

p.47

"Each of us has latent skills and talents,

hidden within and designed by God,

that we must choose to develop and nurture in our lifetimes.

He intents us to find fulfilment in the work of life we were created

to accomplish. It is our glory as God's people to be able to apply ourselves

to become productive, and God delights in our vigorous engagement of life."

p.60

"God is an artist at heart, and his desire to delight us is evident

throughout the created cosmos. It is designed to elicit our worship.

when we take time to celebrate what is truly good and enjoy all

that our heavenly Father has made for our pleasure, we honor Him.

A thankful heart that recognizes

the blessing of a meal well made,

a song magnificently composed,

a garden well planted...

is a heart that delights in the goodness

of God and shares in His joy."

p.134