For the Love!

It's been a busy past couple of weeks.

No, actually make that summer; it's been a busy summer. 

We've been seeing glimpses of Autumn here in upstate New York, leaves are fringed with orange or yellow, golden rod is in full bloom, and the clouds are endless and amazing on our many cool, crisp mornings. 

I find myself eager for it, the change in seasons. Life gradually slowing down. Summer has been good, but I'm ready for more time with Herm, for less yard and garden work, for thick sweaters and long evenings and rainy days.

But like I said this summer has been good. It's been full of roadtrips and family get-togethers and time spent at the lake. And in those moments, on the roadtrips and at the get-togethers, when yard work and canning produce from my garden and running errands for Herm's business and cleaning cottages on the lake haven't been consuming my time, I've been devouring books.

The two I chose for this past weekend were For the Love, by Jen Hatmaker, and Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked My God and My Soul, by Jennie Allen.

Both were so very different and so very good.

We will start with For the Love. I had recently read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, also by Jen Hatmaker, and had enjoyed it, so I was eager for this book to be released. It came just in time for our weekend roadtrip to Pennsylvania for the weekend. 

The subtitle is Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards. In the book Jen tackles a broad range of topics, starting with grace for yourself, grace for the people you live with, grace for your friends, strangers and enemies, and finally grace for the churched.

I will warn you; if you don't have a sense of humor and can't laugh at the hilarity of even serious matters, this book is not for you.

I'm pretty sure I was laughing out loud at some point in each chapter, and I can't wait for the opportunity to use a few of her witty remarks in real life conversations. Jen writes about serious matters, but she does so in a way that doesn't make the reader feel weighed down, and you'll probably even find yourself chuckling along with her, able to extend grace more freely to yourself and to others around you.

If you think this sounds like a book you'd enjoy, read it! 

And finally, I read Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked My God and My Soul.

In this book Jennie Allen and her husband were both longing for a deeper, truer relationship with God, so they began to pray Lord, we will do anything. Jennie heard about Katie Davis, the then 18-year-old mother of 13 girls in Uganda. (Read her story here!) Katie's story wrecked her, made her realize that she is just one person but her impact could be huge. Jennie wanted more in her life.

During this process their lives came unraveled, radically changed. God called them to bigger platforms in ministry, He told them to welcome another member to their family of five, a young boy from Rwanda, to fill the empty bedroom in their home. 

Jennie writes about how her friends lives were influenced too, how giving your whole life to God is daily sacrifice, but how you end up filled and overflowing with more than you ever imagined possible. She shares about how their prayer for anything impacted their marriage and family. 

This book inspired me to more, to realize the impact one life can make. I had downloaded the ebook version, so I plan to reread it soon, and this time to have a notepad and pen handy. There were so many good words I want to highlight and go back to again and again.

Read this book, I highly recommend it!

What about you: Are you ready for the change of seasons? What books have you been reading lately? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Please note: Both books were given to me by www.booklookbloggers.com in exchange for an honest review.