Girls To Grow

Nurturing moms in their walk with God

Adding to My List of Favorites

by 10 Comments

Reading has been a great way to pass some of these cold winter evenings, as well as time spent waiting through piano lessons and after-school art class! At this rate, I’ll be done with my reading list for 2011 in short order!

The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer was another quick read. However, when the first paragraph contained a word which I didn’t know the meaning of, I knew I was in trouble! Just when I had decided to skim through the book and be done with it, I found chapters nine and ten to be the best of all. Chapter nine addressed the sin of pride or self-love (something I seem to struggle with often) by dealing with meekness. Chapter ten reminded me that there’s no distinction between the secular and the sacred; our every day tasks, like laundry and cooking, can be gifts to God if done in an attitude of service.

I skipped ahead on my list and read The Generosity Factor by Ken Blanchard and S. Truett Cathy. This was another short book that’s written as a parable. It teaches, in story form, that life is a gift and we should look for every opportunity we can to give back to God and others through sharing our time, talent, treasure and touch. I was reading this book the same day that I published my post on generosity, so I was doubly challenged to think of more ways in which I can give to others.

I also found a book that is now classified as one of my all-time favorites. It was not on my reading list, but was suggested to me by Deanna at The Story of Us. Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss is written in a journal format and covers a woman’s life from the age of sixteen forward. The honesty expressed as she confronts her sins (including pride!) spoke directly to my heart. As she matures, her love for Christ becomes more real. To see her growth as her relationship with Him deepens through joys and trials is truly remarkable. This is a book that I will read again and again; I think there’s so much to be learned from it and I highly recommend it.

Is there a particular book that has strengthened you in your spiritual walk? Maybe I’ll find another favorite!

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Comments

  1. Aurie says

    Wonderful that you have been able to be renewed by these titles! I must admit that I am a fiction girl myself, and love reading (and re-reading) anything by Karen Kingsbury. Although I need a pack of tissues with pretty much every book she writes!

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  2. Suzanne says

    Hi Tracey,
    Whitney and I are reading Stepping Heavenward as a devotional together, and working through a Bible study guide that goes with it. I agree, it is a WONDERFUL book, one filled with treasures of wisdom.
    Suzanne

    Reply

  4. Tracey says

    Aurie,

    Summer by Karen Kingsbury (from the Sunrise Series) would rank as one of my favorite fiction books – although I'm with you on needing the box of tissues! One of the storylines in that book follows a character who's baby is diagnosed with anencephaly in utero. We lived that diagnosis with our first daughter, ending in a similar fashion to the way her pregnancy did in the book. Karen Kingsbury brought so many of the emotions I felt to that story and, while I buy few fiction books (rather check them out from the library), that one is on my bookshelf.

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  5. Tracey says

    Suzanne,

    I had noticed a Bible study guide for Stepping Heavenward on Amazon by Carson Kistner. Is that the one you're using or do you recommend another? I would love to do that with my girls when they're a bit older.

    Reply

  7. Suzanne says

    Tracey,
    Yes, that's the one! Don't know if I can add a link in comments, but here goes a try:

    http://www.amazon.com/Stepping-Heavenward-Bible-Study-Guide/dp/1932474455/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1296834690&sr=8-3

    We are enjoying it very much! Basically you read a few chapters in the book, then spend time studying that section of the literature, using the Bible. Lesson 1 covers chapters 1 & 2 from the book, Lesson 2 covers chapters 3 through 5, and so on. The study areas are memory verses, treasures from the story, Bible emphasis, and personal applications. We don't do all of the assignments it offers, but pick and choose.

    Suzanne 🙂

    Reply

  8. Tracey says

    Suzanne,

    Thanks for getting back to me! I will look into that Bible study guide. I might want to do it myself now, then go through it again later with the girls.

    Reply

  9. Homeschool on the Croft says

    I'd recommend Stepping Heavenward too. A real blessing. I love The Last Days of Jesus, by TV Moore – I dip into it almost every Lord's Day and always get something from it.
    I'm coming to the end of my January reading list (I posted on it a couple of weeks ago on my blog). The books were: I Kissed Dating Goodbye; Elijay by AW Pink; Behind Convent Walls (the story of Charlotte de Bourbon; and…one more which I can't remember!
    Now starting on Feb's …. Happy reading!

    Reply

  10. Tracey says

    Homeschool on the Croft,

    I've never heard of The Last Days of Jesus; I'll have to check it out, along with the titles you read in January. Thanks for the recommendations!

    Reply

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