On The Web - Favorite Blog Sites
A Life Worth Remark
"A Life Worth Remark is about intentional living. It is about living on purpose, with purpose. It is about establishing principles for your life and then living by them. It is about seeking a community that helps you do that. "
ALWR is a Christ-Centered resource offering coaching and financial services specialized for teens and adults in their 20s and 30s and those with families. I love the content and concepts included in A Life Worth Remark. Matthew Thorpe is raw and honest in the material he presents. It is a great resource for young adults, families, and especially new dads. The content is varied across social media and blog posts. You will definitely want to subscribe and follow across all platforms.
Scattered Squirrel
"Here at Scattered Squirrel, you’ll find a little bit of everything and a whole lot of printables to help inspire you to create systems that work for you. You can keep on scrolling for a taste of what you’ll find here or hop on over to the blog to check out the latest posts. "
This site offers a huge index of free printables centered around planning and organization. In addition to the free library, there are great blog posts for home management, life management, holiday or event planning, and more. It isn't a site that will make you feel bad for where you are - It is a real person sharing her real struggles.
Bobby McGraw
"Bobby’s primary focus is teaching with accuracy and clarity. He’s spent years studying how to communicate timeless truths in a clear and compelling way.
Clarity helps people understand truth and compels them to do something with it."
If you ever have the opportunity to attend an event where Bobby speaks - DON't MISS IT! However, you do not have to wait; his website features many podcasts to hear his teachings. McGraw is personable, genuine, and easily relatable, yet his passion is unmistakable. However, one of my favorite things about his site is his blog posts, especially the "Monday Mentions" feature.
Faith Driven Entrepreneur
"Practical, Expertly-Written Articles to Equip Faith Driven Entrepreneurs in Their Ventures and Spiritual Walks."
This site has something for everyone - there isn't a business situation or concern for which you won't find inspiration or encouragement in this library. In addition to the blog, they offer many other resources, groups, and, my favorite, the book from which it all began. (You can find the purchase link in my book list.)
Ramsey Solutions
Dave Ramsey is one of my trusted go-to resources. He carries products dealing with financial education for families, young adults, individuals, and business owners. The link below will take you to one of his reading lists. I haven't read all of these, but I trust his recommendations and have never been disappointed in the books I have read.
There Is Nothing Like A Good Book
I love reading and believe everyone should include a reading goal in their yearly plans; I have included some of my favorite, most impactful, or best-help reads in the recommended list on this page. Reading is a good thing, and books are available with a wide array of topics offering a myriad of instruction, encouragement, processes, suggestions, etc. However, no book, guide, or instruction can replace the benefit and growth that comes from spending time with God in His Word. I caution you not to get caught up in the titles, the self-helps, the promises of change, and the quick fixes. Let your mind and heart be captivated only by the love of Christ and the plans He has for you.
Recommended Reads & References
Devotional/Spiritual Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Description From Amazon:
"Experiencing God Day-By-Day is based on Henry Blackaby’s multi-million selling Experiencing God book and Bible study. Brimming with insight and seasoned with grace, this 365-day devotional reader helps to start a daily routine by focusing the mind on the divine presence in each life. Whether selected as a thoughtful gift or as a personal resource, this book will inspire great changes while sustaining the essential habit of turning to God on a daily basis. "
Note: This is an oldie, but it really is a goodie. It goes way beyond the fluffy devotional to include deep meaning, context, and historical (cultural) reference. I have lost count of the number of times I have read and re-read this Day-by-Day.
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Description From Amazon:
"The 5 Love Languages is as practical as it is insightful. Updated to reflect the complexities of relationships today, this new edition reveals intrinsic truths and applies relevant, actionable wisdom in ways that work. Includes the Couple's Personal Profile assessment so you can discover your love language and that of your loved one."
Note: There are additional versions of this title (for children, for teenagers, for men, etc). I have read a few of these and found them all very helpful and beneficial.
Relationships/Parenting
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Description From Amazon:
"You know you love your child. But how can you make sure your child knows it? Now discover how to speak your child’s love language in a way that he or she understands. Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell help you:
- Discover your child’s love language
- Assist your child in successful learning
- Use the love languages to correct and discipline more effectively
- Build a foundation of unconditional love for your child
Plus: Find dozens of tips for practical ways to speak your child’s love language."
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Relationships/Personal Growth
Description From Amazon:
"A New York Times best-selling marriage book making a difference! More than two million copies sold! The Crazy Cycle says: Without love, she reacts without respect. Without Respect, he reacts without love.
This is the book you need to help your marriage stop spinning on the Crazy Cycle.
Based on over three decades of counseling, as well as scientific and biblical research, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and his wife, Sarah, have been changing the way couples talk to, think about, and treat each other around the globe for over twenty years."
Home Management
Relationships/Personal Growth
Cooking /Healthy Living
Description From Amazon:
"Discover the beauty of less and focus on what really matters. The minimalist lifestyle promotes peace and intentionality through the act of decluttering. This indispensable manual uses inspiration, positive reinforcement, and an efficient room-by-room guide to lead you from cluttered living to clarity of purpose. "
Cooking /Healthy Living
Relationships/Personal Growth
Cooking /Healthy Living
Description From Amazon:
" The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook contains recipes that are gluten, dairy, egg and nut free! Both children and adults will find pleasing recipes in this cookbook containing over 225 original and tested recipes. Cooking without gluten, dairy and other common food ingredients can be challenging, especially in terms of taste and texture. The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook enables you to make special recipes that taste great. "
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Description From Amazon:
"Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. But it doesn’t need to be. God has a purpose and a plan for all those entrepreneurial dreams and creative gifts he gave you. The work you do today - the company you’ve built, the employees you work with, the customers you serve, the shareholders you report to, all of it - serves as an active part of what God wants to accomplish on earth. You are not alone in this journey."
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Description From Amazon:
"Each yea,r Americans start one million new businesses, nearly 80 percent of which fail within the first five years. Under such pressure to stay alive—let alone grow—it’s easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in a never-ending cycle of “sell it—do it, sell it—do it” that leaves them exhausted, frustrated, and unable to get ahead no matter how hard they try.
This is the exact situation Mike Michalowicz found himself in when he was trying to grow his first company. Although it was making steady money, there was never very much left over, and he was chasing customers left and right, putting in twenty-eight-hour days, eight days a week. The punishing grind never let up. His company was alive but stunted, and he was barely breathing. That’s when he discovered an unlikely source of inspiration—pumpkin farmers."
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Small Business/Entrepreneurs
Description From Amazon:
" Put your flawed foot forward. Pick up most leadership books and you’ll find strategies for leveraging your power and minimizing your areas of weakness. But rather than work against your weakness, why not draw from a deeper well of strength? God favors leaders who make the most of the power that comes from brokenness. ."
My Reading Wish List
I Love To Read
I love books; Every room in my house has at least one bookshelf, and some have as many as five or six. Once I read them, I am attached to them and find it nearly impossible to part with them. I am the girl that, at any given time, has three or four books being read simultaneously.
I am a self-proclaimed nerd who loves reading, writing, and research. Sometimes, books are the only ones I want to hear what they have to say.
My reading wish list is based on trusted recommendations, something that piqued my interest or curiosity, and "gut feelings." When I read the reviews or descriptions, if it spoke to me - it made the wish list. I have included only a few (the first five) of them here, but the list goes on for pages. I'll update them periodically as I learn of new books or read ones that appear on my list. I won't tell you how many are already on my shelves but rest assured they are there.
BUILDING a Story Brand - Donald Miller
Description From Amazon:
In Building a StoryBrand, Donald Miller teaches marketers and business owners to use the seven universal elements of powerful stories to dramatically improve how they connect with customers and grow their businesses.
His proven process has helped thousands of companies engage with their existing customers, giving them the ultimate competitive advantage.
The Last Tackle - James Walgren
Description From Amazon:
Jimbo Wallgren grew up in a Texas town under the glow of Friday night football with dreams of playing at the college ranks. Stable home life, gifted athlete, a very blessed and what seemed like ordinary teenage life. All those dreams would vanish in a heartbeat when Jim made his last tackle on the gridiron that forever changed his life.
Hiding in the light - RIFQA Bary
Description From Amazon:
Leaving Islam for Christianity cost her more than she imagined, but gave more than she could have dreamed.
Rifqa Bary grew up in a devout Muslim home, obediently following her parents’ orders to practice the rituals of Islam. But God was calling her to freedom and love. He was calling her to true faith. He was calling her to give up everything.
STAY - Anjuli Paschall
Description From Amazon:
As women, we are exhausted. Our hearts are being wrung out to dry--squeezed and yanked in every direction. We take care of everyone but ourselves. We've gotten lost in bedtime routines and our Costco lists. We have lost our voices in the storm of everyday life. We need to be reminded to reach inward and heed the quiet voice whispering, Stay.
This book is for anyone who longs for a connection with God and his people but can't seem to escape the haunting feelings of guilt, shame, loneliness, and fear. Through raw, authentic stories, (in)courage writer Anjuli Paschall invites you to stop running from your pain and to recognize that the deep end of your story is the way to intimacy with Christ. Alongside Anjuli, you will encounter a loving God who invites you to stay with him at the table of your soul, where you are free to spill the milk, to fumble through your words, to embrace the awkwardness and the joy, and to taste and see that he is good.
When Strivings Cease - Ruth Chou Simons
Description From Amazon:
Grace Secures What Striving Cannot
In this hustling, image-forward age of opportunity, we feel more anxious than ever. Despite all the affirming memes and self-reflections that dominate social media feeds, approval and worth often seem assigned to what we do rather than who we are. And we end up constantly feeling like we’re behind, lacking, and failing—at home, at work, with friends, with God.
Ruth Chou Simons knows something about feeling measured by achievement, performance, and the approval of others. As a Taiwanese immigrant growing up between two cultures, Ruth was always on a mission to prove her worth, until she came to truly understand the one thing that changes everything: the extravagant, undeserved gift of grace from a merciful God. In When Strivings Cease, Ruth guides you on a journey to find freedom from the never-ending quest for self-improvement.