Oh my goodness. What great reading this past month. So thankful for a few days of rest and relaxation with some fantastic books over furlough!
Finished this gem. This heartbreaking, bittersweet gem. I could hardly put Before We Were Yours down, although at times I wanted to since this fictional story was based on true events that happened in American history. It’s insane to think that children were carried away from their families even as they walked home from school, just to be “sold” to others. I knew nothing about Georgia Tann or her adoption schemes that took place between the 20’s and 50’s. I’m interested to read more, so I put The Baby Thief by Barbara Raymond on my “To Read” list. Whew!
A few of my favorite quotes from my May reading are below. I’d recommend reading the books instead of just catching the Cliff notes version below – they’re worth the journey!
I shush my mind, because your mind can ruin you if you let it. ¹
It’s funny how what you’re used to seems like it’s right even if it’s bad. ¹
Life is not unlike cinema. Each scene has its own music…. No matter how much we may love the melody of a bygone day or imagine the song of a future one, we must dance within the music of today, or we will always be out of step, stumbling around in something that doesn’t suit the moment. ¹
It’s not a question of whether you will hurt, or of how much you will hurt; it’s a question of what you will do, and how well you will do it, while pain has her wanton way with you. ²
“The only time you don’t find a four-leaf clover,” he liked to say, “is when you stop looking for one.” ²
No wonder the devil was so still; for his goods were in peace. ³
¹ Before We Were Yours, Lisa Wingate
² The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown
³ The Journal of John Wesley
A.D. 30 was the first piece of fiction I’ve read since Redeeming Love – and let’s be honest. Nothing holds a candle to that one. I really enjoyed the setting of A.D. 30; a few of the characters were interesting. I liked how Dekker intertwined these fictional people into the story of Jesus – or rather, how their meeting Jesus completely altered the course of their lives. I wouldn’t give the book 5 stars, but it kept my attention. I’ll probably pick up the sequel someday.
It’s hard being a mom. I know in my heart that the gospel changes everything – even how I view my role as a mother. But I so easily forget that Christ’s love for me, His work on the cross, His living Word – these gifts offer me the opportunity to respond to frustrating situations and mundane circumstances with His perspectives. What a breath of fresh air this book was for my worn-out self. I’m sure I’ll be revisiting this wonderful little read in the years to come. (Thanks to my sweet sister-in-law for gifting it to me a couple of years ago!)
A good friend of Freedom gifted each of us missionaries a copy of Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus. Lois Tverberg looks at important biblical truths and interprets them from a Jewish point of view. This book made me realize just how much I don’t know about the Bible. I felt like I was underlining every sentence. Lots of interesting and convicting information to take in. How deep and rich and precious is God’s Word!