Go read these...

So I Stopped Eating by Emily Wierenga

The Day I Broke Up with Fear by Kat Lee

A Christmas Card Drive of Epic Proportions by Lisa-Jo

Summer Reads

I am so excited that my love for reading has been revived recently.  I've been busy planning our Summer of Purpose and when I read this post on High Calling Blogs, I decided it would be fun to compile a reading list for myself!

Here is what I plan to fill my reading basket with:
 
Life of Washington by Anna Reed
I've just started this amazing biography of our founding father written by his niece.  It is riveting so far and a beautiful book to look at as well.

 
Outrageous Grace: A Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness by Grace Fabian
The memoir of a missionary wife whose husband was murdered in the mission field in Papua, New Guinea.  It tells the story of how she and her four children carried on with God and His plan through their pain, grief and disorientation.

Billy Graham: His Life and Influence by David Aikman
This is my current Book Sneeze selection.  I'm looking forward to it as I love biographies and who doesn't love Billy Graham?


 
Life Together:  The Classic Exploration of Faith in Communtiy by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and
 
Love Letters from Cell 92 by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer
I so enjoyed reading about the life and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy that I was inspired to read at least one of his original works as well as the love letters he exchanged with his fiance from a Nazi jail cell.

 
Not So Fast: Slow Down Solutions for Frenzied Families  by Ann Kroeker

This selection fits right in with my intention to slow down and take better care of myself.  I hope it will help me transfer intentions into reality!

 
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt
I think my faith could use the good shaking up this book promises!  Just as these two books did, I hope Radical will bring a God-perspective to my walk.


 
The Right to Write by Julia Cameron
Blogging has reignited my love of writing and reading!  I love the creative and intellectual outlet it offers.  I think this book will help me nurture and grow my writing.


 
Believing God by Beth Moore
I have actually done this study twice already but it is so rich that I feel led to do it again.  It will be my summer devotional!

Weekday Encouragement

***Edited to add more good stuff at the end of the post***

Just popping in to mention that I read another wonderful article by Ed Gungor on The High Calling of Our Daily Work this morning about rest.

"Finding time for silence and solitude will be no easy task. You will have to believe in and value them highly. To-do lists and appointments will mercilessly encroach. But you’ll be surprised at the “little solitudes” that will appear if you look for them: those moments after you wake, before other family members begin stirring; sitting for a few minutes with a cup of coffee before you head to the office; do a radio-free drive to work; take a short walk during lunch or after dinner; stepping outside just before retiring at night; etc. Keep hunting for these moments, or your life will end up flat and tasteless. Without them, you will have a vague sense that something is missing, but you won’t be able to put your finger on it.

Rest that comes from reflection is a beautiful thing—a divine gift. Unpack it. Hold it. Treasure it. Use it well, and life will grow sweeter."

In the article, Ed offers more on the theological basis for rest and some practical tips for grabbing hold of this gift God has so graciously given us.  If you are being intentional about receiving His rest, I urge to read it!

Kat from Inspired to Action, a website that is "dedicated to practically helping moms develop the habits and skills they need to effectively manage their homes and raise children who are prepared to change the world," has a guest post on Steady Mom today about the Difference Between Refreshment and Relaxation that is certainly worth the clock!

High Calling Blog Community

A few days ago I joined The High Calling Blog Community.  I had seen the badge on a few blogs I love so I decided to check it out myself.  High Calling Blogs is a community of The High Calling of our Daily Work whose mission is to glorify God in everyday life and work.  The network consists of nearly 1000 writers who are interested in conversations about faith and work.  Since my blog fits the "faith conversation" mold and I love finding new blogs to read as well as receiving comments on my own blog, I thought it would be a great match.

The morning after I joined, I received a newsletter via e-mail with some featured articles.  Wouldn't you know that the first article I read, The Rest of Your Life,  resonated with my personal journey of Self Care that has become a theme I write a bit about on my blog.  I thought the writer of this article, Ed Gungor, clearly articulated the biblical arguments for rest and how taking time to rest has become quite counter-cultural.

In my own experience, I have found that the concept of rest and self care seems to run counter culture even in Christian circles.  Most Christian moms I know work, work, work and run, run, run all the time!  There seems to be no time to rest, to be with friends, to have date night with the husband.  Although I have not gotten where I think I need to be in terms of balance in my life, I have definitely made progress in setting boundaries for ministry outside my home as well as taking time to take care of myself and rest.  I have shared this journey with many of my friends but, if I am being honest, I do still feel a little embarrassed that I need these times of rest.  I wonder if others think I am simply lazy or selfish.  I wonder if maybe I am simply lazy and selfish.  So, articles like The Rest of Your Life are a great encouragement to me.  They remind me that I am doing the right thing for my family and in God's eyes by honoring His commandment to rest.

What have your experiences with Rest and Self Care been like?  How do you make time for rest?  What kinds of activities are restorative for you?