Summer Reading List

Summer is practically here! One of my favorite things about this time of year is coming up with a list of books to read. I used to love my summer reading when I was in school. Now I get to pick the books. I may not get through all of them, but it is still fun to try. This year I have two reading buddies. My kids Ivy and Albert will be joining the challenge. They love going to the library and picking out new books. I have already started reading to them one of our summer picks, The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. If we can finish that one together, then we will read Matilda by Roald Dahl. I’m excited for Ivy and Albert to hear these stories for the first time. I will also get to re-live them and enjoy them all over again.

My grown up reading list looks a little different. I would love to get lost in a good book as I sit out back in the sun. However, I will have the kids to entertain, all my chores, and writing projects to keep up. So many books, so little time! I have promised myself a good read as a reward for finishing the rough draft of my book. That title will be at the top of my list. Here goes:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Breathe Devotional by multiple authors

The Abbey Mystery by Julia Golding (Tween fiction research. By research I mean fun!)

Amazed by Jesus by Simon Ponsonby

Finding the Peacemakers by Dan Morrice

I still have a lot of work to do before I can begin. I can’t wait. My list is a nice mix of fiction, Bible study, and non-fiction. Do you make a summer reading list? What have you picked this year? I would love to swap titles. If you don’t have a list or have never made one up for yourself, I hope you feel inspired. My goal is to never stop learning. We learn so much from exploring a good story or studying someone else’s experiences. It’s how I like to beat the summer heat!

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  My reading buddies.

Peace, Books, and Other Stuff

It feels good to come back to my blog. Between the lock down at the start of this year, homeschooling, putting children back into school, and re-settling into extra activities, time to myself to write has been scarce. The winter lock down was far more difficult for me this time. We have had family issues and loss. Despite the struggles, the time away has been oddly fruitful. My heart went into my first calling which is being a mother. I have poured my energy into my kids and I don’t regret it one bit. They are growing so fast and trying new things. I love watching them explore the world around them. They are beginning to hone out their own personalities and interests. I am more than eager to nurture them. However, as they grow up, I also want to continue to grow as a person. I started this blog to hang onto a piece of myself, to have an outlet, and to write. I have always been a writer. The time feels right to finally go for it. It’s never too late to fulfill a dream. So, I move forward prayerfully as dream meets ministry.

In October I started writing a book. I can’t take credit for the idea. I feel like God has placed this subject on my heart. The book is about mothers in the Bible and how their stories can inspire us today. I also aim to show how much God values women, carers and mothers. Parenting is a calling and ministry. I am still in the first draft stage. I have a lot of work to do. Watch this space for more updates! I will be calling on my tribe for help as well. I will need readers, honest opinions, and a lot of prayer. It is scary yet exciting. I hope this is a first of many books to come. The thought that encourages me is that I only need to be willing because God is able!

Please follow the purpose God has put on your heart! Now is the time to start. Step out in faith and go for it! I know that if I don’t write this book, I won’t have peace. I believe we must follow the peace that God gives us. In Luke chapter 10, Jesus sent out 72 believers into surrounding villages to minister to people. In verses 5-11, Jesus instructs them to stay with households that accepted their peace. This was to be their ministry base. (Joyce Meyer article in the Amplified Bible Luke 10) If they were not received with peace, then the followers of Jesus were to “shake the dust of that town off their feet” and move on. The message we can draw from this is that we must pursue the peace that Jesus offers us. From a peaceful place, we can minister to others. Also, if you are unsure about what God wants you to do, pray about it. If you feel peaceful about the project, you are probably on point. If you have no peace, continue to pray for God’s direction. He has a purpose and plan for you!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Jeremiah 29:11 (AMPC)

My new reading glasses!

Some of my Favorites

The European Championship football tournament has begun. (That’s soccer to my Americano friends.) Needless to say I will have a lot of time to read on the couch while my husband watches the games. (In between tending to my little one of course.) Though I will miss my sweetheart, time to read is every bookworm’s dream.  It’s what every rainy day was made for. This circumstance prompted me to write an index of my favorite books. I’m sure I’ll leave something out in my sleep-deprived state, but here we go anyway…

For Adventure:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The Harry Potter series by J K Rowling

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Oliver by Charles Dickens

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

For Drama:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Othello by William Shakespeare

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

For Family:

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Matilda by Roald Dahl

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

For Growth:

Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer (I am currently reading this one as a summer Bible study, but I can already tell that it is a good one!)

Believing God: Experiencing a Fresh Explosion of Faith by Beth Moore

Book of Esther

Book of Ruth

Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore

God Is Not Mad at You by Joyce Meyer

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

For Laughter:

Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding

Emma by Jane Austen

Is it Just Me? by Miranda Hart

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

For Love:

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

For Teen Angst:

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 

There are many more books that I have loved over the  years. This is just what comes to mind at the moment. So, if you are as tired of politics as I am or need a break from bad news headlines, grab one of the above books. You won’t be disappointed. Are you a reader? Please click on the comments above and name some good reads that I have missed!