inspirational books

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson (One of my All-Time Favorite Books)

November 20, 2021 by Joi Leave a Comment

One of my favorite authors is Mark Batterson (link to his Amazon profile page where you can find all of his wonderful books.. you can also find them all on my bookshelves, but that’s another story). As a prayer warrior and as someone who proactively seeks to walk daily with God, his books have been absolutely invaluable to me, so it’s my honor to share book reviews of his extraordinary books with you, my extraordinary reader friends!

This particular book, The Circle Maker (Amazon link) was actually the first Mark Batterson book I ever read. Before I was even halfway through the book, I had already gone to Amazon to by my NEXT Mark Batterson book (as well as the prayer journal available for this one… Amazon link).

This fascinating book is full of inspiration and information (impossible to beat a book like that) and, best of all, it will help you take your prayer life to the next level. In a world where we see people with needs all around us, it has never in our lifetimes been more important to pray meaningful, effective, and life-changing prayers. Obviously, we have our own needs we want to be able to pray for effectively as well!

From the Back Cover of The Circle Maker:

From the Back Cover of The Circle Maker

If you aren’t familiar with Mark Batterson’s writing, you will not believe just how humorous and fun his writing is. It’s like sitting down for coffee with the funniest, most energetic, and optimistic friend in your life. This is the type of author you want to read and re-read because (like a favorite old movie) it seems to be EVEN better each time.

I hope you’ll grab a copy of this amazing book and begin your amazing, revived prayer journey right away. With Christmas right around the corner, it would also make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone in your life… the best kind of gift – the one that could benefit your loved one for their entire life.

Find The Circle Maker (Amazon link) on Amazon!

About the Author, Mark Batterson:

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One church with multiple locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, the Miracle Theatre, and the DC Dream Center. NCC is currently developing a city block into the Capital Turnaround; the 100,000-square-foot space will include an event venue, a child development center, a mixed-use marketplace, and a coworking space. Mark holds a doctor of ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books including The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Play the Man, Whisper, and recently released Win the Day. Mark and his wife, Lora, have three children and live on Capitol Hill.

Inspirational Book Review: The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets

September 6, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch SheetsI read as often as fat cats think about eating. During the winter, I really give them a run for their money. My favorite books to read, understandably, cover my favorite subjects: God, the Golden Age of Hollywood, cooking, cats, birds, angels, American history, Ancient Egypt, writing, baseball, the Golden Age of Television, preventing Alzheimer’s, nutrition, the Civil War era, and Bigfoot.

What can I say, I’m all over the place.

Inspirational books have a special place in my heart, for obvious reasons. I mean, can we ever get enough inspiration. I’ll go ahead and answer that… heck no.

The most recent Inspirational book I read was by a favorite author, Dutch Sheets. Is that a great name or what? He was born to be either a movie star, author, politician, or baseball player. I’m not sure about his other skill sets, but I’m going out on a limb and saying he chose wisely. While I’ve read several of this author’s books, I’d count him among my favorite authors if this particular book, The Essential Guide to Prayer , was the only one I’d read.

It’s that special.

“Your prayers and mine can make a difference. We must become convinced of this. Our prayers can be irresistible to God and indefensible to Satan. That’s pretty strong language, isn’t it? Do I believe it? Yes, and so can you.” – Page 39

If you were to observe me as I read a book (not exactly must-see entertainment, mind you), you’d be able to tell how special a particular book is by my behavior. When a book is extra special, I take notes that’d impress any college professor. When the book is extra extra special, I will also frequently close the book and just sit and think about what I’ve just read.

With this particular book, I discovered a third level of special… the extra extra extra special level. On this level, I photograph passages to send to my daughters along with heart and praying hand emojis. All the while knowing I’ll be passing the book along to them to read as well. At least they get the emojis this way and, trust me, my emoji game is strong.

From the Back Cover:

Life-Changing Teaching On the Simplicity of Having A Powerful Prayer Life

A prayer life with God isn’t complex, but sometimes not knowing how to start can be enough to make a person turn away altogether. In The Essential Guide to Prayer you’ll discover that the starting point is to find your motivation for prayer in the power of love by forming a solid relationship with God as Father and Friend. As Dutch Sheets lays the foundation for your motivation to pray, he challenges you to reflect with “Did you understand?” questions at the end of each chapter. Dig deeper into the core of your prayer life by learning to pray effectively both alone and in groups, and by persisting in prayer until you see God’s answers.

The Essential Guide to Prayer is a must read for anyone who is interested in improving their prayer life. This beautiful (and very, very funny) book will make you fall in love with prayer again. You’ll be more excited and anxious to pray than you probably have been in years.

Whether, like me, you’ve been praying for nearly as long as you’ve been walking or you’re relatively new to prayer, this beautiful book will do more than just inspire and inform you… it will ignite a fire within you to pray bolder, larger, and further-reaching prayers than you’ve ever dared to pray before.

Although I had been praying faithfully for too many years to count, about three years ago, I read a story on Guideposts.com about a woman who was a “prayer warrior.” The image of her sitting at her kitchen table praying squeezed my heart and I decided, then and there, that I wanted to be a prayer warrior, too. I studied Bible verses about prayer, read great Christian authors, and armed myself with as much information and inspiration as possible.

I wish I had this book years ago – the information would have right there in one beautiful place!

If you’re already a prayer warrior or simply want to improve your own prayer life, I simply cannot recommend this book enough. It is a fast-reading, fascinating, eye-opening, and heart-stirring book and you will cherish every single word. This book can take your prayer life to the next level and, as you can imagine, that can make a world of difference – not just in your own life but in the lives of countless others.

You’ll probably even take pictures of passages and text them to everyone you know. Just don’t forget the emojis.

About the Author:

Doug Sheets is an internationally recognized author, teacher, and speaker. Based in Colorado, he travels extensively, empowering believers for passionate prayer and societal transformation. He has pastored, taught, and served on the board of directors of numerous organizations.

Find The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets on Amazon. This book is one you are going to love.

I received this beautiful book from Bethany House in exchange for writing a review. The thoughts, opinions, picture, and high praise are my own! ~ Joi (“Joy”)

The Hum of Angels: Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us (Review)

February 9, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

There are certain subjects that fascinate me so completely and so deeply that I could read and talk about them 24 hours a day and look for an extra couple of hours at the end. American History, baseball, the life of Jesus, cooking, the Old Testament, cats, animals/birds, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Ancient Egypt, and Angels are just a few of these fascinations that my soul is saturated with. So, trust me, if it has been written about any of these subjects, I’ve read it – and, usually re-read it many times over.

I have read countless books and articles about angels and recently had the joyful opportunity to add to my mental and Spiritual library. I finished reading The Hum of Angels: Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us by Scot McKnight this morning and didn’t want to wait another minute before encouraging you to get your hands on this book. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read about angels and I know it’ll stay with me for a lifetime.

I also know it’s going to be one of those “many times over” books, so I’ve told it to get accustomed to my perfume, gypsy bracelets, and coffee breath.

I take an active part in the Blogging for Books program (linked to at the bottom of this review). I am able to choose a different book to read/review after each completed review. When I saw The Hum of Angels available, I nearly pulled a muscle in my arm submitting my request. My limbs simply aren’t accustomed to quick movements – they think it might be that thing they’ve heard of called “exercise” and they panic.

True story: I actually began reading the book as soon as it came in the mail. As in, before I even got inside with it. Have I mentioned that the subject of Angels fascinates me?

Let me make one thing perfectly clear, however – I do not, in any way, worship them or hold them in an esteem on plane with the esteem I have for God, Himself. Or His Son or the Holy Spirit. I do, however, find them uncommonly fascinating and hold them in esteem.

Taking second place to the Trinity, I am certain, does not offend these Heavenly beings.

Like many people, I don’t just “believe” in Angels, I accept them completely as a part of life as much as I do teachers, baristas, Preachers, and authors. I’ve read about them all my life in the Bible and have even experienced them in my own life.

Would You Recognize an Angel if You Saw One?

The majority of earth’s inhabitants believe in angels. Yet many of us cannot claim to have seen one. Why?

Perhaps it’s because in order to encounter one, we first have to learn what to look for and how to look! We live in a world where the natural and supernatural overlap. Angels are constantly on mission from God and constantly at work in the world.

From the Garden of Eden to the book of Revelation, Scripture is filled with hundreds of references to these wondrous creatures. In this creative work, Scot McKnight explores what the Bible says—and doesn’t say—about these majestic beings.

And that’s deeply important, because angels are still on mission today. They express God’s love, confirm his presence, and even lead humans in redemptive worship. Don’t just believe in angels. Learn how to recognize these messengers of God that are all around us, and know how God might be using them to affect our lives.

Most People Believe in Angels.
It’s What we Believe About them that Matters.

Believing in angels is one thing. But how can we know what angels are really like – especially when our preconceived notions have been mostly shape by sensationalized misinterpretations of these wondrous beings?

To help sort things out, Scot McKnight untangles fact from fiction on topics such as:
* Do loved ones become angels when they die?
* Can we hear from angels?
* Is there a hierarchy of angels?
* Do we have a specific guardian angel?
* Should we be scared of angels?
* Are cherubs and seraphs different creatures than angels?
* Do angels have wings?
* Are angels worship leaders?

The Hum of Angels illuminates what the Bible says about these heavenly beings and helps you to understand the deepest truths about one of God’s most magnificent and yet misunderstood creations.

Why You’re Going to Love The Hum of Angels

When I meet an author that I connect with – one who instantly becomes a favorite, even after one book, I make a vow to read everything they’ve ever written. Given the fact that Scot McKnight is a very prolific author, I’ve got my work cut out for me…. and I couldn’t be more excited!

The Hum of Angels isn’t just a wonderful, rich education on the history and ministry of Angels, it is an inspirational and fascinating book to lose yourself in. Let’s face it, the world today isn’t always a reasonable place in which to hang out – I can’t remember a time in my life when I’ve ever found so much solace and comfort and RELIEF in escaping with a great book. The Hum of Angels was a beautiful and especially rewarding escape.

Whether (like me), through Bible reading and study, you already have a good understanding of Angels or they are fairly new to you – this is a book and this is an author you’re going to love.

One of the things I enjoyed the most was the author’s humor. At one point, a Cubs comment made this St. Louis Cardinal fanatic laugh out loud. My cat thought I’d lost it – then I explained the joke to her and she understood.

See The Hum of Angels for more information and to order your own copy today. This is an absolutely beautiful book to add to your library.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own. With Blogging for Books, you are able to select the book(s) you want to read/review and when I saw this particular book, I JUMPED at the chance!

Review of an Inspirational Beauty: 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart

January 17, 2017 by Joi Leave a Comment

31 Verses to Write on Your Heart by Liz Curtis HiggsI recently wrote a raving review for Liz Curtis Higgs’ Really Bad Girls of the Bible and today I’m here to do the same – similar raving and same wonderful author. Only the book has changed.

31 Verses to Write on Your Heart is a beautiful collection of favorite Bible verses – collected from over 1,000 women. Accompanying the collection of inspiring and uplifting verses are Liz Curtis Higg’s beautiful (and deliciously witty) stories, words and thoughts. The reader is given perfect illustrations of each Bible verse as it jumps out of the Bible and into your life.

I think that’s the heart of having favorite Bible verses. They are almost always words that spoke to us when we needed them most. One of my personal favorite verses is Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” (KJV) When my three girls were very young, my dad was in extremely bad health. We knew it wasn’t a matter of “if” he was dying, but “when.” My girls and I packed up our homeschooling books and made the long drive each day from Madisonville to Owensboro (KY), where he was in the hospital.

If you’ve never watched someone you love greatly slowly die, I hope you never do. It’s… well, there doesn’t seem to be a word strong enough for what it is. Even “agonizing” doesn’t seem to cover it.

One night as I was stacking up the books the girls would need to carry with them the next morning, I just laid across the bed and let the tears fall where they may. Since the last thing I wanted my daughters or husband, for that matter, to see was me having a “moment and a half,” I dried my eyes, grabbed my Bible and flung it open – figuring I’d just begin reading wherever my red eyes happened to land.

I “landed” here in Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” Here’s the thing about Bible verses – often, one verse speaks to one person differently than it does the next person. Why? Because God often has something different to say to each of us!

When I read that verse, it was as though God was meeting me right where I was and telling me to be strong… happier days are ahead and my dad’s suffering and our heartbreak would not last forever. When I closed my Bible (after highlighting the verse and writing it both on the calendar I carried in my purse AND on my heart), I realized something that I have never forgotten – when you keep your eyes on God (“Call unto me”), He will always be there for you (“I WILL answer thee”). What’s more, He will lead, teach, and instruct you (“shew thee great and mighty things”), even if you can’t, for the life of you, see them yourself (“which though knowest not.”)

From the Back Cover:

Let His Truth Find a Home in Your Heart
Here are the words of hope you’re looking for when your faith needs a boost or a friend needs encouragement. Chosen by more than a thousand women as their favorite verses in the Bible, each one is worth learning, worth sharing, worth remembering,

You’ll find verses you already know and love: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Others may be less familiar but are no less powerful: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). All of them capture the truth of God’s goodness, mercy, and love for His own.

Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs invites you to experience—
* a deeper, richer understanding of thirty-one treasured verses.
* a fresh look at how these timeless truths can impact your life.
* a new passion for memorizing Scripture, verse by verse.
* thirty-one creative ways to keep them in your heart forever.

With a study guide included, 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart is a daily devotional and a small-group Bible study, wrapped in a lovely gift book overflowing with joy!

“Consider 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart your new spiritual strategy for deepening your daily walk with God. ”
—Karen Ehman, author of Keep It Shut

Each Bible verse comes with “His Word, Your Heart” at the end – a page that includes a tip for memorizing the verse and a space to write your own favorite version (KJV, NKJV, or NIV) of the verse.

I love what Liz Curtis Higgs has to say about Scripture Memorization:

“If you’re ready to give Scripture memorization a go, you’ll see lots of practical ideas and fun tips scattered throughout the book, then collected in the final pages for easy reference…. I know, I know. You don’t have the time. Your memory isn’t what it used to be. You tried before and gave up. You think it’s too hard. I get it. Totally.

Still, here’s what the Bible says: ‘Keep my words and store up my commands within you.’ This isn’t simply the wisdom of King Solomon written to his son. This is the Word of God written for all of us. Keep and store. That’s memorizing Scripture in a nutshell.”

When it comes to memorizing Bible verses, the more you do it, the easier it is. It’s as though you’re exercising a part of your brain and with steady “exercise,” it’ll amaze you with how strong it becomes!

31 Verses to Write on Your Heart is available on Amazon and would make a BEYOND wonderful Mother’s Day or Graduation gift. Actually it’d make a perfect gift for any special lady in your life. You’ll also want your own copy, however.

This beautiful book sits proudly on a shelf on my Inspirational Books bookshelf (keeping company with its sisters – other Liz Curtis Higgs books). However, it doesn’t sit there for long stretches at a time. When I got the book, I used it, daily, as a devotional – memorizing the verses and reading the corresponding words. Today, I often refer back to it to challenge myself with the verses and re-read the chapters for inspiration.

This is simply a beautiful, inspiring, uplifting, and perfect book. See 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart for your own copy.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness: A Few Thoughts About a Very Special Book

August 5, 2016 by Joi Leave a Comment

8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness: Practical Strategies for Emotional Health and Well-beingAs I said in a recent post on this very self help blog, I don’t like to repeat myself… hearing myself once is plenty enough, when my thoughts and words start going through syndication, I sort of tune out. Having said that, one word I do say again and again is mindfulness.

I was recently sent a great book to read that also has mindfulness on its mind a great deal – 8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness by Manuela Mischke Reeds. This is one of those self help and inspirational books that reads in a manner you can only describe as lyrical. The text is both wise and beautiful at once and it makes for a very relaxing, introspective, and… well… lovely journey.

Learning how to pay attention to the present moment.

Becoming mindful is about the small, everyday things such as pausing to take a breath before you drive off in a hurry or considering the food that will nourish your body before a meal. Or it can mean checking in with yourself before responding to a challenging email or text.

Every moment of our lives can become an opportunity to practice mindfulness. This book will invite you to sharpen your awareness and ask yourself with more frequency, “What do I notice right now?” or “How do I need to respond or be with this situation?”

These seemingly tiny moments of noticing yourself can have a major impact on your life as you learn to track habitual patterns and awaken to change. Practicing mindfulness is not about being better by figuring it all out. It is about tolerating the moments when you don’t know or learning to be more curious about the struggle.

Here you will learn how to establish a basic practice with guidelines for posture and breathing as well as various options for meditations that involve sitting, walking, gently moving or lying down. You can try these exercises at your lunch break, before you rise or fall asleep. But best of all is for you to sprinkle mindfulness throughout your day.

Whether you are new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, you can make the conscious decision to change your approach to life. Moment by moment you have the opportunity to cultivate awareness that will make a difference in how you engage with the world on a daily basis.

8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness reminds us that our lives are filled with moments and that to take any of these moments for granted is a waste of epic proportions. I love the concept of (frequently) asking yourself, “What do I notice right now?” While I am generally good at living in the moment, I began to ask myself this question frequently while I was reading this book and have continued to do so since.

My answers have included…

wind whistling through the trees
my cat’s breathing
a hummingbird at a feeder
my husband flipping the pages of a newspaper
birds singing
my youngest daughter painting her nails
a kitten swatting at her momma cat’s tail

Moments such as these may not float your boat, but they float my entire fleet. Becoming more aware of the peaceful, downright beautiful moments that fill my day has been a lovely experience and it’s one I’ll take advantage of forever and ever, amen.

{Review Continued Below….}

I love the “Everyday Mindfulness Tip”s throughout the book as well as the wonderful “Try This” prompts. Below is a “Try This” dealing with anger:

In a moment of anger, yours or someone else’s, ask these questions: What is the truth behind this anger? If this anger could speak, what would it say? What would be help to calm this intensity right now? What are its physical manifestations? How long does it take for me to think calmly after the anger comes up? If the anger is aimed at me, does it carry a message that is important for me to hear? – Page 120

Different emotions are dealt with in the various “Try This” prompts – sadness, anger, fear, grief, stress, etc. and they are priceless. The reason I chose the one above is the fact that I love one part of this prompt in particular – I have always tried to identify the source of things said by me (or those around me). When we are in an emotional state, our emotion very often does the speaking for us. The problem is, emotions will say just about anything! I love that the author asks, “If this anger could speak, what would it say?” This is the golden key at getting to the heart of any emotion you’re dealing with.

Have you ever thought, “I’m kind of blue today, but I don’t know exactly why?” Ask the one who does… the blues, themselves. This is effective for sadness, anger, and even fear.

When dealing with anger, the benefits of this exercise are two-fold: You’ll realize exactly why you’re feeling so much anger AND you’ll allow anger to have its say – with only you in the audience.

Can you imagine how much hurt could be avoided by allowing anger to whisper to you and you alone instead of taking the microphone like he normally likes to do?!

About the Author

Manuela Mischke Reeds, MA, MFT, is an international teacher of mindfulness-based somatic psychology. She co-directs the Hakomi Institute of California and teaches in the US, Europe, and Australia. A meditation practitioner for over 25 years, Manuela lectures, consults and trains professionals in mindfulness, attachment, trauma, and movement therapy. She maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Menlo Park, CA.

Babette Rothschild, MSW, LCSW, is a bestselling author, editor of the Norton 8 Keys to Mental Health Series, and member of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. She gives lectures and professional trainings around the world. To date, her books have been translated into 13 different languages.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it seems as though there are more books in the world than anything else – maybe it’s because I review so many books on my websites, but seriously there are a lot of books in the world and even more rolling hot off the presses each day. For a book to stand out among millions of its kind is a special accomplishment and 8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness pulls it off with aplomb.

This is a beautiful book that’ll help put you more in touch with you and the world around you. It’s a winner from start to finish.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

8 Keys to Practicing Mindfulness