In Priscilla Shirer's latest book, Fervent, women can gain the biblical wisdom and practical help they need to engage in passionate and purposeful prayer. Prayer seems to be the last resort for so many in our comfortable, American culture. But Priscilla does a wonderful job of giving a solid theological viewpoint on what prayer is and why we pray. She recognizes the battle we are in, the enemy we have, and the best, most under utilized, weapon to use.
She goes through every area of a woman's life and targets how and why the enemy attacks. Priscilla does a great job of reminding you of the spiritual battle you are in and what is at stake, but also provides numerous Scripture passages that reveal the promises of God so that you walk into the spiritual battle standing firmly on faith.
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I didn't experience the tornado that ripped through Union University February 5th, 2008.
I transferred in that following fall semester and met plenty of people that were greatly affected by that storm. And as I heard stories, read the book God in the Whirlwind, watched the campus be reborn, and joined the Residence Life team, my life was forever impacted. Some of my best friends lived through that storm. And some of the most amazing testimonies of God's faithfulness and favor, grace and mercies came out of that storm. The promise that God brings renewal out of rubble is evidenced on that campus. But the threat of severe weather will always influence my emotions, my prayers, my actions. Severe weather easily stirs up anxiety and worry in me. It quickly brings specific people to mind to pray for. And it forces me to stay on top of the weather patterns and forecasts and be prepared. When storms approach, I am reminded of the great destruction they can cause. But, they also force me to cling to the great faithfulness of God they have displayed. I'm an introvert who doesn't like to cause any commotion or conflict. And so when something happened with a gift card transaction and being overcharged on my debit card for the remaining balance, my tensions were high as I dealt with going into the store and talking with associates and the manager, making numerous phone calls, and making several stops into the bank to sort it all out. It was a strange and confusing and little issue, but it was still something we didn't want to just overlook. Even though it was a minor thing, we still wanted to get the money back we were supposed to.
My introvertedness was already on high alert as I sat inside someone's office trying to talk through the situation and finalize the confusing claim. And then an elderly couple came in and started loudly discussing how no one was immediately helping them. I happened to be with the only person available at the time, and they decided to just stand by the office doorway and demand someone help them.
I stumbled upon Crystal Paine's blog, Money Saving Mom, awhile ago and have soaked up everything she has said since. Crystal helps women navigate through being frugal, living intentionally, and building personal businesses. She is genuine and helpful and inspiring. And I'm pretty sure we would be real life friends; there are so many things from her story that I resonate with.
So when the opportunity came to be part of the launch team for her newest book, Money Making Mom, I jumped on it. I knew this was a book I would want to read anyway and definitely fits for the season of life I'm in. I was a bit daunted when I first saw the book though. I'm not the fastest reader and don't retain things easily, so I thought it would take me a long time to get through the 218 pages. But it turned out to be quite a quick read. Crystal's writing is so approachable and easy to grasp. She connects with her readers through her honesty and practicality. I especially loved reading Crystal's personal account of finding her passions. It was encouraging to read it took her time to figure them out. It is so reassuring when others say they didn't always know exactly what path to take. Knowing it can take time to figure it all out is really comforting because that has been, and still is, my journey. |
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Sarah ConnatserSarah loves Jesus and her family and is passionate about addressing the urgent spiritual and physical needs around the world. She is the wife of Spencer and mama of Katherine and Claire, and they live in Nashville, TN. She runs a photography business with her husband and writes in order to offer encouragement and invite others to choose grace, joy, and gratitude in the adventure and the mundane. She loves traveling and reading; she will choose unsweet tea over sweet and bootcut jeans over skinny; and she is all sorts of awkward with small talk but thrives with deep conversations. |