by Kelli Garms | Mar 27, 2020 | Book Review
One of the hardest balances to strike as a Christian woman is that of taking care of my body and keeping that goal from becoming an obsession. One of my goals when I gave birth to my daughter was to make sure I didn’t contribute to the body image issues society would inevitably give her. In an effort to meet that goal, I have focused on nutrition education rather than trying to follow the fad diets, but there are so many conflicting messages about food it is impossible to unravel the contradictions.
Katie Farrell has been able to turn her past struggles with eating disorders into an avenue to help others with their struggles. When I read Nourish, I was impressed by how she approached health. She not only addressed physical health but also included spiritual and emotional health for a complete approach. In fact, her philosophy begins with a spiritual component that emphasizes a personal relationship with our Creator. It begins with a godly mindset.
“A mind defended with God’s Word has the power to be renewed until it conforms to the image of Christ.”
The reality is the enemy uses food against us. Food can become an addiction, whether we eat too much or too little. And unlike other addictions, we can’t live without food. In C.S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters, the topic of gluttony is addressed in a way I had never encountered before. I had always defined gluttony as eating too much, but Lewis points out that gluttony is making food an idol in any way. With this definition, being too picky, obsessively counting calories, even refusing food that someone has lovingly made could be considered gluttony.
“I have found that it is only when we actively engage in a partnership with God that the impossible suddenly becomes possible.”
Farrell’s book contains guidelines for diet and exercise along with copies of healthy recipes, but everything is approached from a spiritual perspective first. Each chapter includes a prayer and tips for nourishing the soul. The thought-provoking questions help us to analyze our motivation for eating and exercising so they stay in their proper place and don’t become idols that hinder our relationship with Christ. In fact, Farrell even teaches us how to eat as an act of worship!
If you have struggled with maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and you would like to make sure you are keeping God at the center of this area of your life, I encourage you to read this book. It has changed the way I look at healthy eating and will be my go-to manual again and again as I walk this journey.
by Kelli Garms | Feb 28, 2020 | Book Review
The word “hospitality” has always intimidated me. Hospitality is definitely not one of my gifts, yet Scripture commands all of us to be hospitable. Part of my fear comes from knowing I’m not an experienced cook, and I have always equated hospitality with feeding guests. Why would God ask me to do something for which He didn’t give me a gift?
Jen Schmidt answers this question with a clarification at the beginning of her book, Just Open the Door, when she makes a distinction between hospitality and entertaining: Entertaining elevates the host while hospitality honors the guests.
That’s the heart of hospitality: to point others to Him, to love on one another while affirming His goodness.
Suddenly, the task of hospitality doesn’t seem so daunting. As Schmidt touches on everything from writing a purpose statement for your home to getting your husband on board to working with a small space or budget, the concept of hospitality becomes attainable. And the beauty is it happens one step at a time. Just open the door.
Hospitality doesn’t have to happen within the walls of your home. It can be as simple as listening to an elderly neighbor’s stories or a neighborhood pick-up game. And showing hospitality in everyday moments can open doors to sharing the Gospel. What a legacy we can leave as we teach our children to carry on a tradition of hospitality!
One invitation can change a generation.
As a result of reading this book, I am finding myself looking for “open door opportunities.” I have tried to make my home more inviting without worrying so much about the mess. I am trying to say “yes” more when facing connection building situations. When all is said and done, the only thing you can take with you to Heaven is the people you’ve touched along your journey.
How about you? Are you ready to open the door?
P.S. Don’t miss the companion study to this book.
by Kelli Garms | Dec 13, 2019 | Book Review
I have been reading a lot of business books lately that give me the steps to accomplish X, or tell me to “do the work,” or encourage me to “trust the process,” and I can tell you they have left me EXHAUSTED. So I was very curious to read what Jordan Lee Dooley had to say as she is a multi-passionate entrepreneur, and I have admired her for a long time.
Yes, I know her audience is younger women who might be stepping out in faith for the first time, women who are just graduating from college or finding love and a desire to start a family or a business. I took that into consideration as I hit the purchase button for the book. And yet I was pleasantly surprised to find that, though her examples are aimed at younger women, this 43-year-old mom of teens could relate to the struggles of comparison, procrastination, and impostor syndrome, among others.
The principles Dooley outlines in the book are universal struggles for women. She gives practical steps to overcome these struggles by encouraging the reader to “be” instead of “do.” This is a message that has been piercing my soul because what I do will overflow from who I am.
Though these topics may sound daunting, Dooley’s style is very easy to read. She weaves her faith in with her story without overwhelming the reader with Scripture analysis. Her step-by-step plans are manageable and actionable. And I walked away from the book feeling encouraged and empowered to live my life now!
I would love to know your thoughts on the book once you read it!
by Kelli Garms | Nov 15, 2019 | Book Review
I found myself at a crossroads. I had spent a couple of years building a business that had produced tremendous personal growth but hadn’t profited much (mainly because I had invested so much in the personal growth, but I digress). As I felt a nudge to pull back from the business, I didn’t know if it was fear of failure or conviction from the Holy Spirit. It was at this pivotal time when I heard about
Malinda Fuller’s book Obedience Over Hustle, and the message cut right through me.
I had two messages competing for my heart. One said,
You are more than just a mom. One day soon your kids are going to leave home, so you should start preparing now to have the life you want when they are gone.
This message was reinforced when my kids would praise me for working hard, and my daughter would claim that she wanted to run her own business when she grows up. This message isn’t bad, and it has felt true and safe for me in this season.
The other message said,
Your kids will be leaving your home soon. You should focus on building memories and experiences that will bring them home again and again after they have their own families. Your business will keep, and God’s timing is perfect.
This message was reinforced when I noticed distance in my marriage and found that I was trying to work while my son played baseball or my daughter cheered at a game. Again, this message isn’t bad, and I found that it was consistently tugging at my heart.
Fuller took me through Scriptures about Eve, Martha, the disciples, Noah, and others that showed me I was choosing hustle because it is easy. It is easy to trust myself. It is easy to check things off my “to do” list. It is easy to follow a process or a plan or a system. It is easy to hustle because the alternative is obedience, and obedience can be hard.
Obedience sometimes means waiting and trusting and monotony and uncertainty. Obedience might mean I have to do something I don’t like, or it could mean I do nothing at all while I wait for God to show me the next step. When things get hard, and I think they aren’t moving fast enough, I default to hustling because I find comfort in the activity. But that isn’t obedience, not because activity is wrong, but because obedience can’t be measured by activity. You and I could be doing the exact same activity, but one of us could be acting in obedience and the other could be acting out of the hustle. I don’t know about you, but I like measurables, which makes obedience hard.
Obedience Over Hustle brought so much clarity to my situation. Through the biblical examples that are discussed in the book, I began to feel peace about my choice. I began to understand that God was calling me to trust Him with my kids AND my business, and I began to open my hands and release the tight grip I was holding, trying to maintain some semblance of control.
I came to realize the choice wasn’t what I thought it was. God wasn’t asking me to choose between my business and my family. He was simply asking me to let go and trust Him. He wasn’t giving me an ultimatum or telling me it is “all or nothing.” He simply wanted me to loosen my grip and put one foot in front of the other while He does the heavy lifting.
This is a book I will read again and again because this conflict is not a “one and done.” The enemy knows my weaknesses, and I know I will need the reminders now and again.
If you have been struggling with your purpose, I encourage you to see what
this book can teach you, and I would love to know your thoughts after you read it.
by kelligarms | Feb 1, 2018 | Book Review
I recently reread Richard L. Mabry’s book Code Blue.
It is a Christian medical mystery with a little romance thrown in. Dr. Cathy Sewell returns to her hometown of Dainger, TX, after breaking off her engagement. Moving from the big city back to her hometown proves “daingerous” when Cathy begins to suspect someone wants to run her out of town. Or is she just being paranoid?
As Cathy’s past relationships and experiences haunt her, she begins to question her mental stability. Her struggle to trust God comes to the forefront as her list of suspects grows. As she tries to keep her floundering medical practice afloat, she must juggle the advances of two men in her life.
Why should you read it? I’m glad you asked.
1. It is easy reading. If you are looking for something to read on a vacation or at night when you are winding down, this is a good choice. It won’t require you to take notes but will still keep you interested enough to turn the page.
2. It will hold your interest. Like a typical “whodunit,” this book will keep you turning the pages to figure out if Dr. Cathy Sewel is paranoid of if someone truly is out to get her.
3. You might learn a little something about medicine. Dr. Mabry infuses the story with his extensive medical knowledge, making the reader feel as though she has an “inside scoop” on the happenings of the medical field.
4. BONUS!! (because we all like a freebie) Although this book is one of four in the Prescription for Trouble series, each book is self-contained. That means you can pick up any of the books in the series and begin reading because they don’t overlap in characters or settings. It also means that, by reading one of the books, you aren’t necessarily committing to reading three more books if that type of commitment overwhelms you.
Now for the nitty gritty
- Overall, the story is enjoyable. I found myself excited to see what would happen next. There are some minor story problems, including a few loose ends, some grammatical and editorial issues, and some medical terminology and explanations that are a bit confusing, but none of these interfere with the reader’s understanding or enjoyment of the story. (Also, in the interest of full disclosure, I read the Kindle edition, so some of these issues may not be present in a printed edition.)
- The author includes some thought-provoking discussion questions at the end, which allow the reader to analyze the story in a way she might not have previously.
I will leave the links to the four book in the Prescription for Trouble series here:
Code Blue
Medical Error
Diagnosis Death
Lethal Remedy
SPOILER ALERT
(do not read past this point if you plan to read the book. After you have read the book, come back to this post and let me in on your impressions.)
The end of the story is foreshadowed in the first scene. As Cathy finds herself in danger, Will Kennedy, her high school sweetheart, takes the role of her white knight. Will is patient with Cathy throughout the story and never pressures her to accept him, yet every time Cathy is in trouble, Will is there to rescue her. At one point, she even moves in with his parents after her apartment is burned. Will’s parents, the pastor and pastor’s wife depicted in the story, are generous, attentive hosts, and patiently allow Cathy to come to her own conclusions about God and their son.
The town of Dainger plays the role of another character in the story. In fact, it is the character that ties all of the characters together. Life in a small town can be a challenge as news, good news and disturbing news, travels at lightning speed. But when it seems like everyone in town has a reason to hate you, the name “Dainger” takes on a whole new meaning.
A major theme of the story is guilt. Several characters battle the guilt of sins either of commission or omission. Cathy carries guilt about her parents’ deaths, her past relationships, and her inability to make ends meet in her medical practice. Other characters choose to blame others rather than see how their situation is a direct result of their own choices. One character carries a weight of guilt that has driven her to take antidepressants and attempt suicide. Because guilt plays an important role in the story, the themes of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration are also very prominent.
The book has a Sherlockian plot twist at the end, leaving the reader feeling like she was working without all of the information. Though there were hints dropped along the way, the end came as a surprise. The author did a good job of withholding just enough to keep the reader guessing. So don’t fall for first impressions; they are deceiving!!
by kelligarms | Mar 20, 2017 | Book Review
In order for me to be with a great woman, I was gonna have to learn to be a great man first.
Rory Feek’s book This Life I Live is, simply put, a love story. But it is not only his love story with his wife Joey but also his love story with God. Before reading this book, I didn’t know much about Joey and Rory. I had seen a few episodes of Can You Duet?, and articles had crossed my Facebook page during Joey’s battle with cancer. That was all I knew when I picked up the book. However, knowing the end made each chapter more impacting as the story developed.
The conversational style of the writing made it feel like I was sitting across from Rory, laughing and crying with him. Each chapter can stand alone and is easy to read even though he tackles very difficult topics throughout the book. He doesn’t shy away from discussing his past mistakes and how they have made him the man he is. He bravely embraces topics of raising his older daughters alone, watching his wife battle cancer, and facing raising their daughter alone, as well. He confronts the issues of salvation, tithing, family, sex, repentance, and the list goes on. And he takes responsibility for the choices he made, never laying blame at someone else’s feet. He is gracious to those around him who have made mistakes, and often reminds the reader that we are all doing the best we can with what we have.
I am me because of me. No one else. My decisions brought me here, good or bad.
To look at him today, I never would have guessed at Rory’s childhood and the choices he made in his past. Rory’s story of redemption is powerful! It is a good reminder that, no matter what I’ve done or who I’ve been, I am never so lost that God can’t save me. His experiences with repentance, confession, and forgiveness brought me to tears.
Yes, I have been forgiven greatly. Many times over. And so I must forgive greatly and trust that God has a greater plan in store than the one that I can see.
The characters in Rory’s life made an impact on me, as well. From his difficult relationship with his parents to his lovable Uncle Goombah to the woman who changed his life forever, the people who invested in him helped bring him to where he is today, both personally and professionally.
My wife understood that there are things you cannot put a price on, and there’s a huge difference between time wasted and time spent.
Rory’s descriptions of Joey are loving and tender. He describes her in terms of her grace, dignity, passion, and love. I so wish I had followed their story more closely while she was on this earth! As the tears blurred the words on the final pages, I thought about how Joey felt as a new mother, knowing that her daughter would grow up without her mother and that Rory would have to raise another daughter alone. As I struggled through those emotions, I was reminded of Rory’s words:
We must turn the page and trust that the story He is telling is bigger than that one page or that one chapter.
