You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be

I recently finished reading this book by Max Lucado. In a short 127 pages he helps you discover the "sweet spot" that God specifically designed you for. It is marketed on the cover as the "Perfect gift for the Graduate" but I found it very helpful as a stay at home mom who graduated years ago.

I like that it is broken down into very small chapters that flow seamlessly into one another. I found that I could read small sections at a time and not feel disconnected by not completing it all in one read. When I was done with the book I at first felt slightly disappointed that their wasn't this immediate moment of clarity, shouldn't there be some sort of checklist/quiz to point me towards my unique gift? Then as I flipped back through all that I had underlined this stuck out "So make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that"(Gal. 6:4 MSG).

This book is just part of my exploration, a tool in my navigation to be everything God designed me to be. As Max says "Consult you Designer" and no quiz can give me the answers to the plan that God specifically created for me. So use this book as a stepping stone towards discovering your uniqueness, I have.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Happy Mother's day

I am so blessed to be the mama to to these two kids. I took them to the zoo on Thursday as the new polar bear exhibit opened. I had a wonderful Mother's day with my family. We went to church, had brunch and then planted some flowers and then I got a great gift from my hubby-a gift card to Pottery Barn to buy some things for our home. As joyful as I am that I get to be a mommy I can't imagine the loss others feel today as they wait for their chance or they mourn the loss of a child. I pray that they felt God holding them close today and I pray that they will soon recieve the gift they have been so longing for.

I am so grateful for my Mom and MIL as well. I have a wonderful relationship with each and they are so helpful to me as I raise their grandkids. I would also be remiss if I didn't give my wonderful hubby a shout out. He really is such a great partner in this journey of parenthood. Thank you Lord for the privilege of motherhood!!

Show us your life-Baby Names

Over at Kelly's Korner she is asking fellow bloggers to share their baby name choices. I think choosing the names of your child is so exciting yet can be very challenging. Mike and I agreed on girl names much easier then boy names. I wanted some newer/trendier names and Mike was really not on the same page, he wanted really traditional names. So when we found out we were having a girl we named her:

ABIGAIL REBECCA

I loved the idea of a strong old fashioned name with the ability to shorten it to Abby, which is what she goes by. Rebecca is my moms first name and I really wanted to use that in my daughter's name. My mom is very special to me and I am so glad that my daughter can share in that. For our son we chose:

WILLIAM DAVID

We chose William because it was Mike's dad's name and because we wanted to call him Will. We chose David because it was a strong name and of course very biblical. We had thought of naming our boy Blake but now that I have a Will I couldn't imagine him with any other name, it is perfect.

If we are blessed with any more children I am toying with keeping the A and W theme going. For a girl I really like AMELIA KATE and for a boy I like WESTIN MICHAEL. I also like the name Wyatt for a boy but I don't think Mike will go for it. I know some people take their maiden name and use it as a middle name but my maiden name is Vogel, which doesn't seem to flow very well as a middle name.

I am looking forward to checking out some of the other names out there as well as the reason they were chosen for that particular child. Head on over to Kelly's blog and you might just find he perfect name for your future little one.

Plan B

Well Plan B by Pete Wilson has finally been released!! I was fortunate enough to win an advanced reader's copy almost two months ago and have been so eager to post a review. I posted a review on Amazon last week but thought I would give it a little review over here on my blog.

What is amazing about the release of this book is the timing. Pete Wilson is the senior pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN. If you have been following the news you know that Nashville experienced the worse flooding on record this past weekend. I have been following youtube videos posted by those in the area and the devastation is heartbreaking. Pete Wilson's church has been organizing relief efforts this week and has even set up a fund. Talk about the ultimate Plan B, many of these homeowners have no flood insurance.

This book is great because we all have unmet expectations or dreams that failed to come true, the key is what do we do about it. How can we see/feel God's presence in our life when it seems like everything is going wrong. Pete helps you work through the confusion to come out stronger and closer to God. He reminds us of the hope that is in Jesus Christ during and inspite of all circumstances. One of my favorite chapters is Chapter 6 Whiplash. On page 93 he offers this advice "In this life, many of your questions will simply no have answers. But through it all, God himself will never change. This is why our faith must rest on his identity and not necessarily his activity."

Probably my favorite lines of the book are found on page 199 "...God has a perspective on life we don't have.... If you had been at the cross on the day Christ was crucified, you would have sworn that was the worst thing that could ever happen. We don't see it that way today, do we?"

I already have two people in mind that I am going to purchase this book for. I am hopeful that this book will be a blessing to those who are currently struggling in their Plan B and a great resource for those who have yet to experience one.