The Saturday Six

One.

Listen to the podcast here

This week, I had the chance to talk with Sarah Beckman, whose very first book, Alongside, comes out on Valentine's Day! My review of that book is actually the next item in the Six, so please check it out. Bottom line? I loved it and think it's a great resource for everyone. Sarah has a lot of wisdom to share, and even though this podcast is a little longer than others I've done, I think you'll learn so much helpful, practical information, so take a listen!

Two.

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This week's book is one that I wish no one would ever need, but I can guarantee everyone will. My guess is that probably - even right this very minute - you have someone in your life who is facing some sort of crisis. An illness, the death of a loved one, a divorce, an injury - crises are everywhere, and they're hard.

If by some miracle, you don't have a friend or family member in a crisis time right now, it probably won't be long until you will (unfortunately) and when that time comes, you'll want to be equipped to be the best helper you can, through your actions, words, and prayers.


That is exactly where Sarah Beckman's debut book, Alongside, comes in. Sarah has been, as she puts it, "on both sides of the bed." Having been through bed rest with one of her pregnancies and four subsequent back surgeries while parenting her littles, she knows firsthand what it's like to depend on others for everyday tasks. And having walked with her best friend, her neighbor, and her brother-in-law while they lived their final days with cancer, she knows firsthand what it's like to be the person looking in, wanting to help in ways that are actually helpful.

From those experiences, and drawing from the rich wisdom of others in similar situations, Sarah wrote Alongside. It's a magnificent and practical guide with lists of ideas for how you might help those in a time of crisis. She teaches her readers how to discover what relationship tier they have with the person in need and tailor their help accordingly. She offers wisdom on what to say and what not to say, tangible needs to meet, and how to pray effectively, rather than throwing out the cliche-sounding "I'll pray for you," that's so often followed by forgetting to actually pray.

Though the lists are thorough, this is much more than just a book of lists. The stories are vulnerable, from Sarah's own experiences and those of trusted friends who have bravely shared their experiences. You'll see specific examples of good intentions gone bad along with out-of-the-box ideas that made a great impact!

I absolutely recommend this book for every home library, but also every church library and office bookshelf. It is a timeless resource, and I'm grateful Sarah worked so hard to offer a thorough guidebook!

* The Blythe Daniel Agency provided a copy of this book to me at no charge. All opinions are my own. *

Three.

If you're struggling through a part of life right now where nothing seems to be going right and you're wondering if maybe God is just taking a break from intervening, read this by Dr. Michelle Bengston. I just learned of her in recent days; we both write for the same organization, and I've been learning bits of her story since I learned of her. I thought this was well written, and while this is not my current place, I have been here for sure, wondering when or if God would ever come through!

Four.

When I first got out on my own, I was in major accumulating mode. I was eager to put together a home and make the very most of adulthood. Unfortunately I mistook MAKE THE MOST of it with HAVE THE MOST OF IT. I accumulated so much clutter! Since Ryan and I got married and combined our households, it's been very freeing to get rid of stuff and keep what we truly use and love! If this is tough for you (which I totally understand! Was for me at first, too!) check out this post with ideas on what to ask yourself to help determine what can go.

Five.

Last week, Ryan and I finished up the round of Hammer and Chisel exercises we'd been doing for a few weeks. Until we decide what we want to do next, we're back to the original 21 Day Fix workouts. I can tell I'm in better shape than I was when I started them the last time we did them between exercises, but they're still a shock to the old muscle system! Using muscles in new ways can get you! My friend Sarah Forgrave offered these ideas this week for crunchless ab exercises. Who can't use a good ab workout? If you need one and hate crunches, check out her post!


Six.

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{What? Two books in one week? It's true. But this one was only 30 pages long. So I thought I could squeeze it in alongside my grownup book!}

I'm branching out into new territory this week: taking a gander at a children's book! {WHAT?!} I've never reviewed a children's book before, because obviously I have no children, but the last time our niece and nephews were over, I was urged (by the oldest)  to perhaps look into beginning a collection of children's books. It's not a bad idea, really. I want our home to welcome ALL our friends, and many of them have kids! So here are my thoughts on a brand new release from Tyndale House.


Clearly, since I'm not well-versed in children's books, I'm also not well-versed in their authors. Gary Bower lives in Michigan with his wife, Jan, and they have 12 children and 22 grandchildren. I'd say that makes him an expert on writing books that will appeal to kids!! You should check out their website and read about the creative endeavors of the whole family!

The book I read is called The Beautiful Garden of Eden and is part of "A Faith That God Built" series. It's written in the rhyme scheme of "The House that Jack Built," with each new part of the story building on the previous part and repeating all the way back to the beginning.

Here's what I love about the book:

* Illustrations, done by Barbara Chotiner, are whimsical and fun.  It's the first time I've ever seen the forbidden fruit depicted as a pomegranate rather than an apple, and the Adam and Eve illustrations are tastefully done. Illustrations are as important as words in children's books, I think, so I was impressed.

* While I worried that the repetitive rhyme would get annoying, it didn't feel that way to me as I read it out loud. In fact, I felt the repetition was great for solidifying the Scriptural truths into little hearing hearts.

* Speaking of Scriptural truths, I found the book to be sound in doctrine. I think that's another thing you have to be careful with in children's books; there's a difference between changing the meaning and making it kid-appropriate. I felt like this one made it kid-appropriate without compromising truth.

* I heard Gloria Gaither say once that kids love big words, because it makes them feel smart to say fun, big words. This book incorporates that. While it's not written over the heads of kids in general, it throws in a few fun big words like upheaval, comely, calamitous, and woefully.

* The final page of the book directs readers to the full account in Scripture, which I think is  important.

I'm glad to put this book on my shelf, alongside the handful of treasures I've picked up at the Goodwill. Next time the kids come over, I hope they'll have fun reading it!

* Tyndale sent me a copy of this book at no charge. All opinions are my own.  *