This stack of books represents a year of growth to me. The balance between soul-searching surrender and encouragement. A few were difficult to get through because they were heavy, but the heaviness led to acknowledgement of hurts yet to be healed, (“Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, “Forgiving what you can’t Forget”). They stirred places of anger and resentment, pain…things I had stuffed down deep. Things I really just needed to acknowledge, feel and let go by handing it over to God. At times this was very painful, but the pain was soothed by knowing it would lead to progress and purpose. Working through these things would clear the way for ALL the GOOD things to enter in its place…and I did it with God right by my side.
Annie F Downs was like the sweetest cheerleader in “100 Days to Brave” (my second time through this book…that’s 200 days of INTENTIONALLY working on BRAVERY!) and “Looking for Lovely.” Her words were nurturing and hopeful; her prompts inspiring and uplifting. The same can be said for “What Happens when Women Say Yes to God, encouraging and light reading.
“Fierce, Free and Full of Fire” was like having Jen Hatmaker in my living room, chatting with a cup of coffee in our hands. (Can you just imagine?!) It was sweet and could have been energizing if I wasn’t reading it during quarantine. Timing was off on this one for me. *Will return to it another time.*
I felt an instant kinship with Brene Brown in the first book of hers that I’ve read: “Rising Strong.” I will return to this one as well, because I think Pandemic fatigue was creeping in at this point and “Rising Strong” didn’t feel as attainable as it had pre-pandemic and I abandoned it. (It feels attainable again!)
My favorite, most inspiring book of 2021 was “Rhythms of Renewal,” by Rebekah Lyons. She felt like a trusted friend giving me advice and cheering “YOU CAN DO IT!” all the way. (Ironically, I forgot to put this one in the photo). Rebekah breaks down achieving renewal into 4 attainable categories: Rest, Restore, Connect, Create. I felt like this book was just for me, like Rebekah was saying: I see you, my friend.”
If I hadn’t taken notes while I worked through these books, I think many of the powerful sentiments would have been forgotten. I spent time last week reading through them and it wasn’t just the authors quotes that brought revelation. It was my own thoughts and prayers scribbled in the margins. The ones full of vulnerability as much as they were with honesty….the feelings AND the truth. It was through those that I could see my growth. It solidified what I felt early on: that there is purpose to the pain. And God will use every single bit of it.
A couple of these books went into 2021….but soon thereafter I can see the tides turn in my reading material. Lighter in the sense of uplifting and deeper in the sense of bible studies. To be continued….