What I'm Reading This Month-January Edition!

So; as apart of my "renovation" process for 2014, I chose to bring mainly books that edify or teach me things to my reading list! Being the nerd I am, I have a pretty good start on what I want to read this month/year! It's hard to divide it up :)
Ashley over at Christian Wife Life is having a monthly link up with other bloggers as well as a pretty sweet giveaway, so follow this link: What I'm Reading Link Up and link your blog post (or comment on her post if you don't have a blog) and let everyone know what books are on your hit list!


First on my list:

I am a huge Karen Kingsbury fan, and I have never found a single book of hers that didn't leave me wanting another one. This book, I have been hearing lots about! Music + my favorite author = one excited me :)









2.

Obviously I have read this book before, but I wanted to re-read it as I am in a classics mood lately. Plus, it just seems like a "wintery" book.







3.

So I have been hearing a bunch about this book as well, and I saw it at my local thrift store, and decided to give it a shot. I have heard Francis Chan speak at the One Thing Conference 2013, via my lovely laptop, and loooveddd what he had to say. Another radical approach to the Word. Which I can always appreciate.







My reading list this month is a little short, because we are almost halfway through January already! Can you believe it? My favorite book from last month/year however was : Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have never felt the presence of God like I did reading this book. This is the most amazing book on my shelf. Can't wait to see what you all choose for your January reading lists! :)

Dear Friday ♥

Dear Friday, You took long enough to get here! I am looking forward to what you have to offer today.

Dear SparkPeople's BabyFit; Is it too late to be jumping on the healthy bandwagon? I swear, I have a mostly good excuse..

Dear Morning Sickness, I thought I broke up with you somewhere in the second trimester..guess you can't get enough of me.

Dear Hubby, you have been sooo sweet to me this week. I can't wait till I get to cuddle with you and make you breakfast tomorrow :)

Dear Micaiah, you are such a little kicker this week. Seeing your precious little face this week via ultrasound was probably the most amazing experience of my life. I can already see so much of Daddy and I in you! You are nothing short of perfection.


Dear God, Thanks for all the amazing blessings <3

Recommended Reading

I am such a nerd. I always have a book in hand, and my reading list for 2014 is probably two miles long. Lately, I like books that are beneficial to me in some way shape or form. Whether it's a good Christian fiction book that boosts my spirit, a book on frugality, or a devotional, my goal for 2014 is to do my best to put mostly things that inspire me to be better in my life.
So I came up with a list of books that have helped make my life just a little bit more amazing. All of these links are from Amazon, where I have found the best deals on books, if you don't mind buying used.



Radical:

This book is seriously one of the most amazing books in the world. David Platt has such a blunt, zealous approach to his relationship with God. Radical inspires you to go a little bit deeper than ordinary with your Christian life.








America's Cheapest Family

So many bloggers have raved about this book, I am just a statistic ;) But seriously guys, this book is absolutely awesome. The Economides provide such great tips for all areas of your life, from vehicles to groceries to childcare. No matter what your level of "frugality" is, by applying these tips, you will greatly benefit.






Redeeming Love

Redeeming Love isn't a new book by any means, but it is such a Christian Fiction classic. This is a fictional take on the story of Hosea in the Bible, so expect your views to be changed. This book not only fueled my love for God, but also my love for my sweet husband as well. I plan on reading this book again in 2014..once..or twice :)






Miserly Moms

Yes, another frugality book :) This book was such a great resource for me, when I unexpectedly got thrust into the world of being a stay at home wife. Jonni McCoy has so many great "coming-home" stories and tips for wives. She has good recipes and thrifty ways to have fun! If you are at all considering becoming a "one-income-family" this book is for you.






Fly-lady's Sink Reflections
         Ah, FlyLady. This woman is the cleaning guru for those of us who need to have a routine to stay on track. Seriously, since I started following her principles and routine suggestions, my house has gotten so much more organized.










I have read a lot more books in 2013, but these are the few that have influenced me the most. I am currently looking for new books to add to my list, so give me suggestions! :)

Goodbye 2013 and my Word of the Year 2014.

I don't know about you, but this year has been..crazy. My life has changed in every possible way! Looking back, I can see that all my struggles for this year have been the Grace of God, and have made me a better person. But, when they were happening..I seriously thought my world was ending.
In the year 2013:

• I found out I was pregnant!
• Due to said pregnancy, I gained a little thing called hyperemesis..and non stop sickness, multiple hospital stays, and I lost 25 pounds.
• I was deemed "unreliable" and stepped down from my newly acquired position at work.
• I got to fulfill one of my hearts desires-becoming a stay at home wife and soon to be mom <3
• My husband got laid off work shortly after, and I learned that valuable lesson of frugality very quickly.

Through all those things, especially my sickness I have never felt the Love of God so deep. ( I'll share my full testimony later). So, this year I made a choice to focus on one word and let that word define my year. I did take this quite seriously, and prayed about it. The word that resonated with me the most was the word "renovate".

 “Though outwardly we are wasting away,” wrote the apostle Paul, “inwardly we are being renewed (or renovated) day by day.”  

That is my focus for 2014. To let God renovate me. To let the Word, worship, and prayer become who I am. To focus on being healthy and let my body be renovated. To completely renovate my relationship with my husband. To renovate my home life, and my finances. 

I am so ready to get started with 2014 :)

Ready to let God have your year? Link up over at One Word 365, comment and let me know your word, and if there is any way I can be an encouragement to you, let me know!

A New Approach to Resolutions.

Today I wanted to share with you a whole new approach to the ole' New Years Resolution thing. Enter One Word 365.

One Word 365 is a more..streamlined version of a resolution. Instead of choosing those different resolutions that generally (if your like me!) get pushed to the back burner, you focus on one word for the entire year. Your word can be anything. It just needs to have some personal meaning for you! That one word will in a way shape your year from choices you make, to things you want to learn,how you treat others, etc. I am going to think long and hard and give this a shot! I am hoping that it will absolutely wreck me as a person, and I can come out of 2014 a better person!

Interested?
Head over to One Word 365, link up, get some word ideas and prepare to make 2014 ahhhmazing :)

Thrifty New Years Resolution Resources!

Good Morning from cold, snowy Iowa!
It is that time of the year again. Resolution time. Where we start our years with nothing but the best intentions to make 2014 our best year ever. I am a random person, so I tend to have about 20 resolutions going at once..needless to say they only stick for about a week or so! This year, I am hoping to hone in on a few specific things and make a lasting change. I also can go a little overboard spending money on apps for my phone, healthy food, books, cds, and a lot of other things that I think will help me reach my goals. So, I did some research this year and I found a lot of free (or nearly free) resources that can help us all get a little closer to our goals. I actually found so many it was hard to narrow it down, but here are my absolute favorites.

Finances:
Mvelopes Online Budgeting System 

We all want to save a little bit of money here and there. A budget can be very helpful to a lot of us. This is a great website I found, that reminds me of Dave Ramsey's cash envelope system. You link your online banking account with the website, and create your own budget based on paydays, bills, and personal needs. You decide on a specific monthly or periodic amount to place in each "envelope". Just like you would withdraw cash from your bank account to place in an envelope, you can choose how you would like to fund each envelope. The system automatically does it for you, so it does make the system easy to use. It is easily customizable, and you are able to see how much you have left in each envelope. I think this is a system that you have to work with quite a bit. I am still trying to get myself set up with what works for hubby and I, so I will let you know how that goes. SO far, so good.


Spiritual Life:
 Bible.com (Formerly known as YouVersion) 
Where do I even begin? This is seriously one of the BEST resources out there. Not only do you get almost every version of the Bible imaginable, but you can get reading plans. You are able to use this with your computer OR your phone, which is nice if you want on the go inspiration. For those of you wanting to read your Bible in one year, they have quite a few plans for that. They also feature videos, and topical reading plans as well. This resource has helped me greatly increase my time in the Word, which is always a great thing :)

She Reads Truth
SRT is a community of women, taking on the Word together on a daily basis. This is a companion to Bible.com in a way, because the plans are featured on there! Every day, they feature the current days devotional on the site, and you are free to share your ideas and comments with the other ladies. This is such an encouragement as it is geared towards women. It also is just fun to be reading a plan with other women from around the world.


Fitness:
SparkPeople 
SparkPeople is a free community of people all with the same goal-becoming healthier. SparkPeople features free diet plans, customized to your daily caloric needs, and other various health factors. The site gives you nutrition and fitness trackers, recipes, and free exercise videos! I currently use the pregnancy version of this called BabyFit, which is pretty much the same idea, except for pregos ;) I give this site HIGH respect, because it focuses on creating healthy habits and lifestyle change, which is the only way to get lasting results. The plans are also very doable, and fit in with whatever life pace you have.


There are many other resources out there, but these are just a few that I found to be the best! Whatever your resolutions are, I wish you the best of luck! :)