Category Archives: Book Reviews

Embracing Beauty {an interview with Trina Holden}

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Yesterday, I shared with you a bit about my struggles with body image and style as well as a glimpse into how Trina Holden’s new book Embracing Beauty has helped and become an excellent recourse. Today I bring Trina herself to you in the form of an interview. I think you’ll enjoy her candid spirit and informative answers. 

1. Can you tell us a little bit of your style journey, and what inspired this project?

I struggled with defining my style and feeling confident with what I wore though my entire teens and twenties. I thought that style was something you were born with–that in the area of fashion there were the ‘haves’ and the have-nots’–and I was in the latter category. It was only in the past several years, with the input and inspiration of several ‘normal’ woman (read: not fashionistas) who had found joy and victory in this area that I believed I could actually attain personal style. I started to study what I loved, take note of what worked for me, and eventually I began to find real satisfaction in the area of style. Then–amazingly!–people started coming to me for fashion advice! I realized I had a lot to share from my journey, so I wrote a book for other gals who may need a little help along the way.

2. While writing your book you did a word study on “beauty” and “adorn” in the Bible, can you tell us a little bit about what you found?

This was my favorite part of writing the book: that moment when I realized that the Bible had more to say about clothing than just a list of ‘thou shalt nots’. First, I saw that God seems to love pretty things even more than I do–in fact, my desire to find, create, and surround myself with beauty is part of His image He planted in me. This helped me move beyond ‘permission’ to dabble in pretty things, to a ‘commission’ to be an ambassador of beauty to those around me, giving the world a glimpse of this aspect of my Father’s character.

I also saw how many times God used clothing–often white robes–to show the world who He had redeemed. I’ve come to believe that our adornment can be yet another way to express the joy of salvation to those around us. I can do this by not listening to the world’s definition of beauty and instead confidently embracing my unique design with clothes that I love and that love my figure.

3. In your book you suggest a tunic style blouse to help with the fluctuating weight of pregnancy. Since the last thing someone with infertility wants to wear is anything that could possibly make them look pregnant (since they are probably dealing with bloating and weight gain centered on the waist), do you have any other suggestions for an easy go-to style?

I have several suggestions!

First, start with a good foundation {garment}. I’m serious! A bra that comfortably lifts and supports you can make a world of difference in your confidence and in the appearance of any outfit you put on. Make sure you’re wearing the right size! (There are lots of tips on the book for measuring yourself properly!)

The next step is to use those beauties to distract from whatever you’ve got going on in the middle. I believe there is a tunic style which can flatter you through the changes your figure may experience when undergoing fertility treatments–the key to the right tunic is the location of the gathers or fullness. Any gathers, details, or tailoring below the breasts (think baby-doll style tunics) will look suspicious. But fullness above the breast highlights the curves you love, while flowing straight down to cover the curves you don’t. Check out these tops that will love quite a few pounds of weight fluctuation without making an announcement…

Tunics for when you're not Expecting

I also recommend choosing dark shades over light, and embracing long lines wherever you can. See these two styles of cardigans? The ones with long lines will be more flattering than something that stops at or above your waist.

Layers that Flatter (or Not)

I love the lacy vests and light-weight sweaters with long, drippy front edges, as well as maxi skirts, long necklaces, and long scarves. All these long lines send the message to the brain ‘Long! Straight! Skinny!” and help you ignore extra curves. I use some long accessory or layer in almost every outfit I create.

4. You’ve done a lot of study in nutrition and health, do you have any tips for those of us who are struggling with the common fatigue that accompanies infertility struggles?

  • Please give yourself permission to rest as often as you need to! Cultivate a solid night’s sleep by taking cleansing baths before bed (Epsom salts and baking soda in nice, hot water), learn to let go of anxieties, and do whatever you have to do to make your bedroom dark and conducive to sleep. (I have towels hung in front of my bedroom windows while I wait for curtains to fit in the budget!)
  • Make sure you’re digesting and thus benefiting from the food you’re eating–take a good digestive enzyme right before each meal, and try adding some fermented foods and condiments to your menu.
  • Avoid things like caffeine and sugar which stimulate and drain your adrenal glands, adding to your fatigue.

– just a little note from me: Trina’s cookbook, Real {fast} Food, is an excellent source of healthy recipes and easy how-to’s in the kitchen. If you don’t have a copy, definitely check it out by clicking here!—

5. Your book is full of practical (and frugal) tips from choosing a color scheme to conquering the thrift store. Care to leave us with a little taste of the information your book offers?

There are chapters  that discuss–

  • seeing our beauty from God’s perspective
  • keeping the pursuit of external beauty in balance
  • how to balance textures and contrast to bring pizazz to your outfits
  • personalizing your look with accessories
  • and make-up routines for busy days

Also, almost every chapter is linked to a Pinterest board to continue the inspiration, and I even made several videos to illustrate my favorite scarf ties and some quick hair styles. I include lots of quotes and stories from other women on the journey to embracing beauty, and? I’m told the book is quite hilarious in spots. ;)

Thanks, Trina!

Embracing Beauty is available in PDF version (readable on any computer), Kindle, Nook, and in Paperback.

 

p.s. I loved all the feedback on my “feminine farmer” outfit from yesterday’s post. :) I thought I’d share another typical farming outfit. This is what I usually grab when my husband invites me on a spur-of-the-moment date. This is the perfect outfit because if we happen to stop to check the hay fields, my feet are covered, but the pretty skirt still makes me feel like I could dance.

Spur-of-the-Moment-Date Look for the farmer's wife

This post contains affiliate links.

learning to embrace beauty

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This post contains affiliate links.

embracing beauty

Over the past 9 ½ years of dealing with the complications of infertility, my body-size has bounced up and down between a size 6 and a size 16. No joke.

It pretty much sucks.

And to be honest, I haven’t dealt well with it. My husband has literally gone so far as to take the scales away from me when I’m struggling. “Your body isn’t functioning properly,” he tells me, “so this isn’t an accurate picture of what you are.” (he’s a good man, eh?) 

At one point in this journey I was eating a diet of no fat, no flour, no sugar, no dairy and no meat. (you’re right, that’s just about everything that tastes even remotely yummy.) I was desperate to lose the weight, partially for the sake of my looks and partially for the distant hope that losing weight would stimulate my reproductive organs enough to allow me to get pregnant.

Amazingly, after being on that strict of a diet for 6 weeks I lost a grand total of one pound.

Dead serious.

(Now, with the knowledge of nutrition that I have gained, I know that I was putting my body in starvation mode and every bite of those vegetables and brown rice, without the proper fats and nutrients, were going directly into storage.)

When it comes to infertility, natural treatments are slow and time consuming. Going the medical route brings its own joys, like hormones being injected into your stomach (i.e. needles into your abdomen) that cause bloating. Or fertility pills that cause weight gain.

The moral of this story? Infertility wrecks havoc on a woman’s body.

When my friend Trina told me she thinking about writing a book on style, I almost rolled my eyes. My sense of style disappeared somewhere around the time that my waist disappeared.

But then God really started to get a hold of me. I wrote a post about my realization that my issues with my weight were directly linked to pride. And then Trina started sending me chapters of her book.

Now, this book was written by a Mom, to moms. She covers topics like dressing when you’re pregnant or when you’re nursing. She’s not infertile so it would seem that her book could hardly apply to someone like me…

Except it does.

Because the majority of the book is about learning to love the way that God made your body. It’s about choosing to embrace the beautiful every day. It’s about learning to dress for the size you are, right now, instead of always dreaming of someday being different than what you are.

And it gets even better than that because she also shares about what God thinks about beauty. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still working my butt off (I hope!) to lose weight and keep myself healthy. This isn’t about ignoring the negative impacts that excess weight can have on you. This is about rejoicing in beauty.

And I’ve started to enjoy getting dressed again.

Tomorrow Trina will be joining me with an interview (woohoo!), but in the meantime, I encourage you (no matter where you are in life) to check out her book.  Embracing Beauty is available in PDF version (readable on any computer), Kindle, Nook, and in Paperback.

p.s. She totally quotes me in one of the chapters (isn’t that precious?!) where I describe how I use accessories to make myself feel feminine while still wearing work clothes on the farm. This is the outfit I was talking about (my go-to farming look) and I have to say, put together on here it actually does look stylish. ;)

everyday style for the farmer's wife

More Heat, More Butter, More Salt

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bread & wine by shaune niequist

This post contains affiliate links.

I’ve always been slightly enthralled by authors who write about food.  I devour books like The Dirty Life or Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Julie & Julia (although the movie is better than the book for the last one).

I don’t even understand half the French words they use to describe the types or flavors, but I love to watch the way words create lyrics on the page. Now, mind you, I still call white sauce, well, white sauce, but there is something stupendous about the word crème being in the title, complete with the accent mark and the feeling of soft warmth.

Shauna Niequist’s new book Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table is like a beautifully preformed musical. Food, thoughts and faith all swirl together and what is created in a type of community (complete with recipes that I am dying to try).

She entices the reader into the kitchen with recipes that involve creamy goat cheese, bacon, and splashes of wine but her heart goes much deeper than the stomach. She writes to remind us all what the table is for: a place of community, a place of connection.

Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist

Perhaps I felt her heart more clearly because of the chapter about sharing joys and heartache, where she writes through the sorrow of her years of being unable to bear another child. Perhaps it is simply the way her writing voice jumps from subject to subject and then back to food, with an extra dosage of butter and salt.

Perhaps.

Either way, I was only half way through before I was texting a friend and saying, “I have a book you need to read!” And at dinner that night, when I was frying up the onions, I turned up the heat, added a little extra salt, some butter and a splash of wine (just for good measure).

It was delightful.

To read more about Shauna, visit her website.
To read more about Bread & Wine: a love letter to life around the table with recipes visit here. 
To order a copy of the book, visit here. 
For the Kindle version, visit here. 

I received a copy of Bread & Wine from Zondervan in exchange for my honest review. 

when a book inspires action

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books and caramels

I’ve always said that the best books inspire action of some kind.

Well, I just read a book and while I don’t think it is necessarily one of the “best books” it did in fact inspire action on my part.

Siri Mitchell writes historical fiction and her newest novel ( Unrivaled) happens to be about the candy business.

Lucy is the daughter of a candy maker who created a bestselling taffy but then lost the recipe and his company in a business deal gone bad.

Charlie is a rough ‘n tough survivor from the wrong side of town who ends up in trouble with the law for a crime he didn’t commit. In desperation his mother writes a letter, requesting that her long-gone (and ridiculously rich) husband do something to help the son he abandoned years before.

The two young people are quite enthralled with each other until they discover that the successful empire Charlie will someday inherit was built on a certain recipe for the best taffy ever made.

It is a typical historical romance but Mitchell has incredible talent when it comes to writing about sweet confections. It felt a bit like stepping into the set for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (I almost burst into a verse of Truly Scrumptious with a rousing rendition of Toot Sweets….)

All the talk of whipping egg whites and boiling sugar and pulling taffy, of nougat and chocolate and crunch….

It was cute. Fun. And inspired me to stand up and make a batch of caramel taffy. Seriously.

caramel taffy

The boys followed me around the kitchen as I threw water and sugar and salt, vinegar and butter into a pan. It boiled and they sighed at the smell. Eyes widened as I pulled the long strips of shiny sweetness.

I let them taste a bite and they seemed a bit shocked. “You’re good!” the seven-year-old said in surprise.

I didn’t burst my his bubble by telling him that it is virtually impossible to mess up sugar and butter.

caramel taffy

The book was a decent read and the caramels it inspired? Delish.

The only thing that would have been better would be a few recipes in the book itself. Instead I had to make up my own (because after reading about Lucy tossing together ingredients in her 1910 kitchen, I just couldn’t bring myself to google it!) which was an adventure in itself!

If you want to make some, just mix together 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, a splash of vinegar, a dash of salt, a tablespoon of butter– then mix on high heat, boiling for 8-10 minutes (until hardball stage). Add another tablespoon of butter, mix it well, and then let cool until you can touch it without it burning you. Butter your hands well and pull, pull, pull. Keep pulling until it is completely cool.  Whalla! yumminess. 

You can find more about Siri Mitchell here (or follow her on twitter here).

Bethany House Publishers sent me this book in exchange for an honest review. They probably had no idea that it would cost me a few ingredients and some hyped-up-on-sugar kiddos. 

The Tutor’s Daughter {review}

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When I’ve had a long day {week, month, or year…} nothing pleases me more than to curl up with an interesting historical novel. I have a few authors that I depend on to supply me with a steady stream of such books. :)   Julie Klassen has kept up her end of the bargain and has written books to capture your imagination. They are thoroughly researched  and set in the beloved Regency era. Her latest novel, The Tutor’s Daughter, is the same as all the ones before. Fascinating, a little bit predictable, and still full of page-turning enjoyment.

 

Emma Smallwood longs to help her widowed father who has run a boarding school for most of her life. When hard circumstances cause them to close the school, she helps secure a job for him as a tutor for the younger brothers of two former students.

But when they arrive, mysterious things begin to happen and the family doesn’t seem all that keen on their presence.

Strange noises, troubling notes, questionable comments… and the two older boys seem to both have a vested interest in the tutor’s daughter.

 

 

 

A fun read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. You can click here to watch the book trailer. 

I received a copy in exchange
for my honest review from 
Bethany House Publishers.

 

 

 

Les Miserables

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The movie is all over theaters, all over the internet. But the story goes back much further than the musical. It goes back to a classic book that picked up one of the roughest time periods in French history and tore it wide open.

Victor Hugo bravely faced the gutters of society and masterfully wrote a beautiful grace-filled story.

Jean Valjean is imprisoned for stealing bread for his starving family. After he is freed, many years later, he really does become the thief he never wanted to be. Then, in a grace-filled turn of events, the priest he steals from grants him mercy. And life changes.

These events set the backdrop for a story filled with the gritty filth of sin and the pure glory of grace. Over and over, good faces off with evil. And grace wins.

We know this to be true from the Bible. In the book of John we are told,

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it. 1:5 NLT

Because of the reality that is faced in the story, it is impossible to create a kid-friendly version. However, Focus on the Family Radio Theatre has come as close as you can get. The Audio Drama is so well done, you will be able to listen to it again and again.

I would not suggest it for little ones but I would not be afraid to introduce it to older children. It is a perfect door-opener for some of the difficult topics that our young people need to face, as well as a perfect illustration of grace.

I, personally, love radio dramas and wish I could afford to own every single one produced by Focus on the Family. :) They utilized such a range of talented actors and the CD’s, rather than a movie, offer the perfect backdrop to house work or a trip in the car.

If you’re looking for a way to experience Les Miserables this option is one of the best!

*this 3 CD set was sent to me by Tyndale Publishers in exchange for my honest review. 

of book lists and stories.

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Perhaps it is not the most, ah, intellectual, to admit my love for fiction, but it is true nonetheless. I like stories. I like writing them, reading them, and talking about them. My friend Meg and I can talk for, ahem, hours about fictional characters.

I love that somewhere in my imagination there lives a girl named Paris, who has brown hair and wears torn jeans and talks with her hands. She has a story of redemption that is pieced together from real stories that I’ve heard and my fingers almost itch to finish writing it out.

And not only that, but I love fairy tales and parables. Ones that whisper and swirl stories from other lands. Places that exist only in my mind, but can be translated onto paper. Places that have castles with 67 stone steps, little girls who have been saved from monsters by a King who loves, and warriors who raise their banners to the only true Ruler of All.

I sometimes joke about the many fiction books that leak into my reading lists. I read many, many nonfiction books to glean information but it is fiction that makes me smile. I don’t read it to critique, I simply read it for pleasure.

So. I’m going to share with you the fiction books I read last year. Some are re-reads, some I disliked, some I loved. And I hope you’ll be inspired to read a few novels this year. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, by any means, but they were the ones that left a lasting memory. 

Books I Read:

Prophet (Books of the Infinite) by R.J. Larson : Fantasy. I loved this book. It was set in an “Old Testament” type world that made the heart of God shine. You can read my review here. 

When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley: Contemporary. The story of a woman caught in an abusive church and her journey to freedom. It contains pieces of romance and a thread of mystery. The writing was lovely. There were some parts that I struggled with but overall, I enjoyed it.

Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth: Set in 1979.  A small town, an abused girl, an unlikely friendship, and a God who crawls right into the middle of our darkness to lead us to light. I also reread Wishing on Dandelions, the sequel. They are both favorites of mine.

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade : Contemporary. Regular ole chic-lit novel. Cute. Nothing too exciting. Read my review here. 

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengi: Fantasy. A parable wrapped up in a fairy tale. A princess, a battle for her heart, and the undeniable truth that it is only in death of our sinful nature that we can truly live.

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson: Fairy tale. A retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with a Christian twist. Gotta love Melanie Dickerson.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Yes. I reread it. (and it’s just as good the 15th time as the first. Maybe better.)

Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund: Historical. Really, really good. Read my review here.

Books I Read Aloud:

The Widow of Larkspur Inn , The Courtship of the Vicar’s Daughter, and The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark: Historical. adorable, funny, light and breezy reads set in a small town in England. My husband got a kick out of them.

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Children’s. Oh, yes, and we loved it. Every single chapter.

The Kincaid Brides Series by Mary Connealy: Historical. We read them all because they were kind of funny but, to be honest, they weren’t the best books. (She does have some cute ones, by the way, these just weren’t my favorites.)

Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer: Historical. Very cute. We both liked it. Typical historical romance in some ways but excellent writing and enjoyable twists.

Roses for Mama by Janette Oke: Historical. One of my favorite books. I read it as a teen and I still love it. (so I made my husband listen to it. In my defense, he did say he liked it.)

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers: Historical/Allegorical. Oh. So good. Still. No matter how many times I read it. I know some people struggle through the graphic nature (Angel is an abused child turned prostitute) but I, honestly, think it’s real life and we better face it. (and, oh, the glory of the redemption.) I think my husband might have cried a few places. Shhh! Don’t tell. 

The Grandma’s Attic Storybook by Arleta Richardson: Children’s. We love Grandma’s Attic. I read stories here and there throughout the year. They were some of my favorite’s as a child and my husband really enjoys them as well.

For more book lists, come over to my friend Mandy’s blog.  (Have a book list on your own blog? Make sure to link up with her!)

What was your favorite novel from last year?

p.s. this post contains affiliate links.

Unending Devotion

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There have been stories circulating lately. Stories about modern-day slavery and women who are trapped tight and dying slowly over months and years.

And we see pictures and hear these tales that make us angry and horrified but they seem so far away. We may buy jewelry or bags or donate money with the promise that it will help free someone, but here is the question: what if that someone was your sister?

IMG_7415One reason that I love fiction, is the ability to take a “what-if” situation and make it seem real. Jody Hedlund did some research and found out that it was during the lumber-era (late 1800’s) that white slavery (forced prostitution) was introduced to the state of Michigan. In her novel, Unending Devotion, she takes us on a vivid trip through that time period through the eyes of an idealistic young woman in search of her beloved sister and the son of a lumber-baron who has closed his eyes to the evil in town so as to make a larger profit.

The story is engaging, well-written and historically accurate. The message is for today.  

And the fact that it’s real, and happening right now keeps me startled. Helping provide jobs so these women have something to do when they escape is a huge part of the problem. There are wonderful programs out there  that need our support and, most importantly, our prayers.

I want to do these things. I want to help make a difference.

unchecked evil
I love novels like Unending Devotion because they help me keep the truth in the forefront of my mind. It is a gentle, but firm, reminder that there are more important things in life besides my comfort and there are lost people around me, desperate to be free.

Want to know more about Jody Hedlund? Visit here. 

Want to know more about fighting to end slavery? Visit here. 

I received this novel in exchange
for my honest review 
from Bethany House Publishers

everything.

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God is stirring up the church.

Have you noticed this?

Every week we gather with our Bible Study group. We share our hearts and the Lord brings conviction, change.  And His Word is breathing.

We’re experiencing growth. Strengthening. Calling.

Then we go out and meet people from all over who are experiencing this same thing. We draw in gulps of oxygen and sit back in awe.

Everything by Mary DeMuthThat’s how I felt when I picked up Mary DeMuth’s new book, Everything: What You Give and What You Gain to Become Like Jesus. Like I was breathing deep of truth. About one chapter in, I went hunting for a pencil to start marking passages. About three chapters in, I went hunting for my husband to read parts to him.

Then I started reading the chapter about the paradox of failure and just sat and let tears fall.

It’s my story wrapped up tight in hers and I realize, it’s not me that I see, it’s Him. This is a God-story. The one He longs to paint in each of us.

Friends, God is doing something. It is not something new, it’s the same thing He’s been doing for centuries, but more and more people are starting to listen. He is drawing a line in the sand and calling His disciples to stand up. He is asking for everything. 

In many ways, this book is the perfect counter-part to the ebook I published this past fall. Pain Redeemed is the story of God asking for my everything. And it’s facing head-on that sometimes “everything” means walking hand-in-hand with pain and sorrow.

Everything by Mary DeMuth

Mary’s book is the story of God pulling and drawing and shining light into dark places. It’s the story and explanation of what happens when we surrender. It’s the nitty-gritty, the heart-wrenching pain, and the glory.

If you only purchase one book this coming year, I encourage you to make this the one. 

He is everything. He really, truly is.

Let’s live like we know it.

Everything- Mary DeMuth

To find out more about Mary DeMuth, go here. 

To find more book by this author,visit here.

I received this book from Booksneeze 
in exchange for my honest review.

This webpage includes affiliated links.

A Radical Idea

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The move was to a house only two minutes away.

It was not because of a great plan, nor a simple whim. It was purposeful, even though it was not perfectly planned out. I did it because God said to go and then flung open the doors. If you’ve been following the story of In Jars of Clay {tales of a hometown missionary} on my blog, then you know that the “impact” from my move to the worst street in town reaped a thousand fold in my own heart.

There is another part of the story that fills me with sadness. The part where Christian’s frowned on the move and some even discouraged us from such an endeavor. “You don’t understand what goes on there…” they told us.

It wasn’t everyone, thankfully. There were many who offered prayers, encouragement and even physical aide and financial assistance. But I still feel sad about the many who seemed stunned or confused by a purposeful move into a place full of darkness.

I understand that we were just ordinary girls. We hadn’t been trained in dealing with drug addicts. We hadn’t been taught what to do when we witnessed domestic violence. We didn’t have any degrees. We were just girls.

But why does the fact that God uses ordinary people surprise us all?

David Platt, author of Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream and Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God, would say that we’re surprised because we have become a culture where Jesus isn’t worth losing everything for.

It has become the work of missionaries, ministers or evangelists to share the gospel and the idea of identifying all the places where we have community (our homes, our work, our church, the gym, the library, that Starbucks you stop at 3 or 4 times a week… ) as the place where God has called you to boldly and truthfully proclaim the Word of Life has become obsolete.

Oh, friends. This should not be. It makes me wonder… do we really know Him? 

I would highly recommend reading Radical and Radical Together but if you don’t have time for two full-length books then I have a suggestion.

The Radical Question and A Radical Idea

This book is small, short and to the point. 

It is the explanation of what God was trying to teach me all those years ago– the explanation of what my husband has embraced in his walk with Christ and an explanation of what Jesus was teaching in the New Testament.

  • If you’re not willing to give all (like the picture of the Rich Man in Mark 10) then can you truly be His disciple?
  • If you aren’t willing to walk away from everything for the Kingdom of God, then is it possible that you don’t understand the worth of that Kingdom?

I’m not writing this out of knowledge, friends. I’m asking myself the same questions.

I often say that I am willing to give all, but the truth is that I expect God to allow me to retain what I want. But I am beginning to see and understand that “storing  up treasure in heaven” often does mean losing everything here on earth.

Let’s live like He’s worth something? Because He is. 

This book was sent to me in exchange
for my honest review from
Multnomah Publishing.