The Seceret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery + more books of the Bible, books 23-28

 

This book had been on my list since it came out.  I hadn't had a chance to read it, but I gave it to my mother in law for Christmas, then told her I wanted to read it when she got done with it.  Since she is a fast reader, she got it to me in early February, but I just recently finished it.  HIGHLY recommend!

Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons--but she'll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she's pregnant with her deceased fiancé's baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.   (Picture and description from Amazon)

Slowly but surely plugging through my Bible Reading plan, I completed Philemon, James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Job (finally again!).  

Ready to jump into my next book!

O:)

Melissa

Good Boundaries and Goodbyes, and a lot of books of the Bible, books 11-22

 

Is it unloving or selfish to set a boundary? Are Christians ever called to walk away from a relationship that’s no longer safe or sustainable? Lysa TerKeurst deeply understands these hard questions in the midst of relational struggles.  But after thousands of hours of counseling intensives and extensive theological research that transformed the way she defined healthy relationships, Lysa is now more committed than ever to loving people well without losing the best of who she is. She wants to help you do the same. In these pages Lysa will help you:

1. Understand the five factors to remember when implementing healthy boundaries.

2. Determine the appropriate amount of personal and emotional access someone has to you based on how responsible they'll be with that access.

3. Stop being misled and emotionally paralyzed by wrongly interpreted or weaponized scriptures that perpetuate unhealthy dynamics in difficult relationships.

4. Overcome the frustrating cycle of ineffective boundary-setting with realistic scripts and practical strategies to help you communicate, keep, and implement healthier patterns.

5. Be equipped to say goodbye without guilt when a relationship has shifted from difficult to destructive and is no longer sustainable.  

6. Receive therapeutic wisdom you can trust directly from Lysa’s Christian counselor Jim Cress, who weighs in throughout the book. 

You'll be relieved to learn that boundaries aren't just a good idea, they're a God idea.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Took me way too long to finish that, but there was some really good stuff in there.  I've also gotten super dedicated in my Bible Reading Plan [getting up at 4:30 so I have an hour to read!] and finished 1 & 2 Timothy, Psalms, Titus, 2 Kings, Philemon, Proverbs (for the 5th time!), Hebrews, Luke, James and 1 Peter.

Now I'm ready to finally jump into our Book Club book, which is next week! You are always welcome to join us!

Keep Reading!

Melissa