Book Review: Words of Hope for Women by Carolyn Larsen

Words of Hope for Women by Carolyn Larsen

My Personal Review ~ 4 stars

Words of Hope for Women by Carolyn Larsen is a sweet, little devotional from Revell Publishers. When I first saw the simple loveliness of the book cover, I knew I wanted to read it.

In typical devotional format, this small tome has a passage of Scripture for each day, as well as a paragraph or two from the author talking about the hope these Bible verses present to us. Some of the headings for each day are: Hope of Heaven // Promised Refuge // Hope in Weakness // Hope for Victory Over Death // Hope When All Seems Hopeless // True Love // Hope in Grace-Filled Speech // & Hope in God’s Power.

Words of Hope for Women has been encouraging and to the point. And I feel like Carolyn Larsen has done a good job of sticking to the truth of the Word, and not just filling the pages with flowery, feel-good quotes. I’m now on Day 25, and look forward to finishing this devotional!

I received a complimentary copy of Words of Hope for Women from Revell Publishers. This review is honest and all my own.

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My Quiet Time

Good morning, readers and friends! I hope this second Saturday of the new year finds you well. ^_^ Today I wanted to take a little bit of time to share with you what my quiet time looks like.

It is so vitally important to be reading the Word and talking to your Heavenly Father. And just literally having quiet time. Where your mind is at rest and you quiet your heart. When the stress eases away and you can sort through your thoughts or simply be still.

So, make a goal for 2019! Make time for God, and for rest.

***

First thing I do when I wake up to a new day … PRAY. The more I discover prayer, the more passionate I am about it. Prayer is a heart-changer, a life-changer, a world-changer. It strengthens your soul, calms your heart, and shows you the sweetness of communion with God like few other things can.

I want to pray more. So this year I took the leap. I’m getting up at least a half an hour earlier than the rest of my family so that I have quiet time to pray. Now, I do not like getting up early. I am not a morning person. But I knew this day would come. So here I am, getting up before I “have” to … and loving it.

So, talk to God for a half hour or so.

Then I get up, get ready for the day, and usually do my Bible-reading while eating breakfast. I started my second read-through of the Bible in October of last year. So I’m currently in Deuteronomy and Mark. (*whispers* … a little behind, but I’ll catch up!)

I highlight, underline, and write things on sticky notes. Yep, I’m that kind of person. And it’s helpful for me!

Also, I read the NKJV as of now. What translations do you all like to read?

I started a little gratitude journal. So usually jot down some things in there each day.

I’m currently not working outside the home, so after breakfast I clean up the kitchen and do other chores … whatever needs to be done. Many times I put in my earbuds and either listen to music or sermons/inspirational talks/whatever while cleaning.

J.D. Greear, John Piper, Matt Chandler, Dale & Veronica, Priscilla Shirer, Daily Disciple, FarAwayDistance, Paul & Morgan, Girl Defined, Joseph Solomon, Emily Wilson, Coffee Girls … there is a surprising amount of godly brothers and sisters on Youtube who have some amazing wisdom to share.

Of course, I love to read! My goal this year is to read a Christian Living nonfiction for every novel I read. (I go a little more into this on my other blog.) So perhaps during lunch I’ll pull out my nonfiction or novel and do a little reading. Now with nonfiction, I like to highlight and underline. That way I can go back through my books and re-read those bits of wisdom that I had gleaned.

Right now I’m working through One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp (which has been amazing), and Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. I’m not sure why I hadn’t discovered this little Christian allegory before! It’s been quite lovely.

A glowing sun-orb fills an August sky the day this story begins, the day I am born, the day I  begin to live. ~ Ann Voskamp

This is the story of how Much-Afraid escaped from her Fearing relatives and went with the Shepherd to the High Places where “perfect love casteth out fear”. ~ Hannah Hurnard

I’m also going through Max Lucado’s Grace For The Moment. It takes so little time to read each day’s devotional, but if I feel like it gets to be just one thing too many, I may put this book aside.

I know a lot of people say they don’t have time to read, but I would encourage you to make time. Not only is reading a chapter or two a day said to greatly help to reduce stress, but you can glean so much helpful & amazing wisdom and information from books! Connect with your brothers & sisters in Christ from all over the world by reading their books, and let them show you what God has been teaching them!

I would like to journal more regularly this year. It’s a way sort through and process things, reduce stress, and record what God is doing in my life & heart! I also enjoy writing letters to my future husband on occasion in a journal. 🙂

These are ways for me to slow down and refocus.

And listening to music! Listening to great songs, worshiping, dancing around the house, lifting up my hands and soul to the Lover of my soul! That’s some time well-spent, I believe. There’s something about good music that can definitely relieve tension and stress. And good lyrics that put my focus back on Christ & glorifying Him. Right where it needs to be.

Well, there it is. That pretty much sums up my quiet time and restful, stress-relieving activities. I’m trying to live my days intentionally, to the glory of God, and these things help so much.

Now, to become intimately part of the local Body of Christ! ❤

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR QUIET TIME!

Stress and Rest + a New Devotional

Hello, lovely readers!

Today I’m going to talk a little bit about stress and rest + devotionals. 😉 Life can get stressful, right? And overwhelming. And wearying.  And sometimes it just threatens to squeeze the breath from our lungs.

I had a little bit of a rough week. First I was dealing with a flare up of some health issues, then I came down with a cold/flu. I had to cancel my young adult Bible study and also wasn’t able to film my Monday Booktube video. 😦 I wasn’t writing as much as I’d hoped to. Missed church. And didn’t want to bring in a job application as I’d planned because I felt yucky and sounded quite hoarse. Ha.

So I was just feeling down emotionally too. And then, this morning, my laptop decided to go crazy and I was terrified it had a virus or was going to crash on me. After working on it all morning and afternoon – reinstalling my antivirus protection, restarting it a *hundred* times, etc. – it is faring much better. Thankfully! I hope it will continue working fine.

Anyway, I was feeling stressed and run down. And very discouraged about life in general.

Sometimes we have those days, you know?

So I want to talk about some ways we can fight that stress. By resting. Resting physically, or resting emotionally. Or something in between.

Philippians 4:6-7

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Today, what helped me to calm down and ease my anxiety was listening to kid’s praise music with my little brother. 🙂 Something about the peppy music and worshipful words reminded me that God is on the throne and He sees my life, and I really don’t have to panic about my laptop potentially crashing (and everything else in my life).

It reminded me that I have so much to be thankful for.

It reminded me to just be.

Sometimes I think people want to make life too busy. And, in my case, my mind wants to grab onto every little thing possible that it can stress about and just pull me down into despair.

Psalm 55:6-8

⁶ So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷ Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness. Selah
⁸ I would hasten my escape
From the windy storm and tempest.”

That’s not good. I don’t think that that’s what God wants for us. I don’t think that’s the kind of life He meant when He said life more abundantly.

Psalm 23:1-3

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;

What are some things we can incorporate into our days to promote restfulness in your heart and soul?

• Listen to invigorating praise music
• Listen to heartfelt worship songs
• Play a lighthearted game with family or friends
• Take a nap (sometimes you just really need to catch up on sleep!)
• Go a long, quiet walk (and pray aloud! 🙂 )
• Bake your favorite recipe
• Read for awhile (even just reading for like six minutes is supposed to reduce stress)
• Go out to coffee with a good friend, just the two of you
• Snuggle with someone for awhile 😉 I always find it calming to hold tiny babies or get on the floor & play with my three-year-old brother
• Sit down with some tea and your Bible
• Call a good friend who you know will speak truth and encouragement to you
• Go to bed early
• Read your Bible and pray + read a little bit from a fun, lighthearted novel before sleep
• Do a devotional

Have any ideas to add?

Speaking of devotionals, I want to let you all know about a new devotional on YouVersion, the Bible app. It’s a 7-day devotional called Love Defined, and is a part of Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird’s coming book release. They’re talking about God’s design for love and romance. I just started this devotional today! There’s Scripture and a devotional (an excerpt from the book, Love Defined, I’m guessing?) to read. I hope you’ll join me in this! ❤

Be sure to check out Kristen and Bethany’s first book, Girl Defined, as well as their Youtube channel and website!

I’m part of the launch team for Love Defined, so look for more news on that from me in the coming days. I’m so excited to read this book!

That’s all I have for now. Rest in the Lord, dear friends!

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”